Controversy surrounded the Pakistan men's cricket team as Gary Kirsten resigns as their white-ball head coach, just six months into his two-year contract. His replacement, Jason Gillespie, will lead the team for the upcoming Australia tour. The decision to appoint Mohammad Rizwan as white-ball captain amidst tensions within the team is believed to be one of the reasons for Kirsten's resignation. This comes after Pakistan's poor performance in the T20 World Cup and a series of changes in the selection panel, leaving some to question the team's chances at the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.
After the Pakistan cricket team's disappointing performance at the T20 World Cup, there is a growing recognition that the team's inconsistent, unpredictable, and chaotic style of play is not effective. With new coaches Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie in charge, there is hope for a transformation and a more consistent and united team. However, they will face a difficult task in tackling the existing issues within the team environment.
Sources reveal that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is contemplating resting some senior players, including Babar Azam, Muhammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi, for the upcoming home Test series against Bangladesh. The decision will be finalized after consultation with Test captain Shan Masood, who is currently captaining Yorkshire, and new red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie. The PCB will also seek advice from white-ball head coach Gary Kirsten for their plans for the ICC Champions Trophy next year.
In a scathing criticism, Head Coach Gary Kirsten expressed his disappointment and frustration at the lack of unity within the Pakistan cricket team during the ongoing T20 World Cup. With a shock loss to newcomers USA and defeat to traditional rivals India, Pakistan's team produced one of their worst performances in recent years. Kirsten also highlighted concerns about the players' fitness and said the team is far behind in terms of skill level compared to the rest of the world. Despite their consolatory win over Ireland in their last match, Pakistan faced elimination before the conclusion of the group stage matches.
Fakhar Zaman, the power-hitting batter for Pakistan’s cricket team, recently admitted that their recent loss to Ireland has made them realize the need to adopt a more aggressive approach while batting in T20I games. Zaman mentioned that the team has set a target of 200-plus runs while batting first and that coach Gary Kirsten has quickly gelled with the team and has a friendly approach towards them. With the ICC World Cup approaching, Pakistan is looking to play with an aggressive mindset and aim for high scores.
The Pakistan Cricket Board has named Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie as the new head coaches for the Pakistan senior men's cricket team in the white and red-ball formats, with former player Azhar Mahmood as the assistant coach. Both Kirsten and Gillespie bring a wealth of experience to the team, with Kirsten having coached India to a World Cup victory in 2011 and Gillespie previously coaching at the domestic level. The coaches are excited and honored to lead the talented team and aim to achieve success together on the field.