The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has once again stirred global headlines with the resignation of white-ball head coach Gary Kirsten, who will not continue in his role with the national team.
According to ESPN, Kirsten stepped down primarily because he was neither consulted nor involved in the PCB’s recent decisions. The board made several notable changes, including appointing Mohammad Rizwan as the captain of the white-ball format, with Salman Ali Agha serving as his deputy. Additionally, they decided against awarding a central contract to Fakhar Zaman.
Reports from ESPNcricinfo indicate that a rift developed between Kirsten and the PCB after the board restricted his influence in the selection process. Authority for these decisions was handed exclusively to a selection committee that did not include Kirsten. The coach had expressed a desire for his input to be considered in the squad announcement and the decision regarding the new limited-overs captain, which led to “animated discussions” with the board.
It’s not surprising that the PCB has been making unilateral decisions without the input of the head coach and captain. During the recent Pakistan-England Test series, Jason Gillespie described his role as merely a “match-day analyst” for the team. He stated,
“The PCB came out and made some changes after the first Test match. A new selection panel was appointed to make decisions, so I was not involved in that process. I’m now just focused on match-day strategy and getting the players ready for cricket. It’s not for me to talk about. I’ll let the selectors do their job.”
Kirsten’s only involvement with the team was during the T20 World Cup 2024, where Pakistan suffered a disappointing first-round exit after losses to the USA and India. It’s notable that Pakistan has not played a single ODI under Kirsten, who is renowned for coaching India to a World Cup victory in 2011.
The PCB’s decision has drawn reactions from notable figures in cricket. Former England batter Kevin Pietersen tweeted, “How can Pakistan Cricket lose Gary Kirsten with his résumé in coaching? One step forward the last few weeks and two steps back today! Stop doing it to yourselves. There’s too much talent to keep making these mistakes!”
Mickey Arthur, a former coach of Pakistan, echoed similar sentiments, stating, “You can’t exclude the coach from the selection process. He looks the players in the eye every day. For his role to be taken seriously, he needs to communicate clearly on roles with the players and provide feedback!”
Looking ahead, Jason Gillespie will accompany the Pakistan team on their upcoming tour of Australia. Asad Shafiq, a member of the selection committee, will also travel with the squad. The ODI series will begin from 4th November,
The ODI squad for the tour includes: Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah (WK), Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, and Shaheen Shah Afridi.
