Jason Gillespie, the former Australian fast bowler, has been announced as Pakistan’s new Test coach, while former South African batter Gary Kirsten has been named their white-ball coach. Azhar Mahmood, who had been appointed on a temporary basis for the New Zealand series, will continue as the assistant coach in all formats.
The three coaches have been appointed on two-year contracts following a recruitment process.The position of the head coach had been vacant since Grant Bradburn, who took over from Saqlain Mushtaq last year, quit in January to join Glamorgan as head coach. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had approached other high-profile names, including Shane Watson, who ultimately pulled out of the race.
Kirsten is expected to take over from the England tour, which will feature a four-match T20I series starting on May 22 in Leeds. The last game of the series will be on May 30 before the team will fly out to the USA and the Caribbean for the T20 World Cup. Gillespie’s first assignment will be the Bangladesh series in August, a two-Test series.
The announcements were made by PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi at a press conference in Lahore.”Their stellar track records precede them, and I warmly welcome them to the Pakistan cricket family,” Naqvi said of Kirsten and Gillespie.
“Jason’s coaching career has been marked by success both at the domestic and international levels, with a focus on player development and achieving excellence in team performance. Gary’s coaching career has been marked by his ability to instill a winning mentality, develop young talent, and achieve success at the highest levels of the game, making him one of the most respected and sought-after coaches in cricket.
“In this background, I have every confidence that their expertise will guide our players to reach new heights, aligning with their inherent talent and the expectations of our passionate fans. These high-quality appointments also present a remarkable opportunity for our players to glean insights from these seasoned professionals, refining their skills and fortifying their cricketing acumen.
“The PCB is unwavering in its commitment to furnish the national team with top-tier resources and facilities, fostering an environment conducive to unlocking their full potential and consistently delivering stellar performances.”
Gillespie has held various coaching roles around the world, though he has never been head coach of an international Test side. He enjoyed considerable success as head coach of Yorkshire, where they were promoted from Division Two in his first season and went on to win titles in 2014 and 2015. He has also taken up T20 coaching roles with Kings XI Punjab and Adelaide Strikers, as well as Sussex and South Australia.
Kirsten’s most famous coaching achievement came as head coach of India, where he worked from 2008-11, and won the 2011 ODI World Cup. He was head coach of South Africa for the two years that followed, and is currently Gujarat Titans’ batting coach.
Crucially, Naqvi said that Kirsten and Gillespie will be with the Pakistan side for the entire length of their contracts instead of flying in for specific tours and series. In the past, this has been a sticking point for overseas coaches, with PCB’s negotiations with Watson thought to include clauses that permitted him to be away from Pakistan when the white-ball side wasn’t in action. Naqvi also said he hoped to have Gillespie involved with domestic red-ball cricket, instead of focusing solely on the Test side.
That the PCB have eventually managed to land two of the highest profile coaching names – the first time Pakistan have appointed split coaches for different formats – has internally been viewed as a significant win for the board at a time of considerable tumult.
