Lahore, October 28, 2024 – Six months after being appointed as the ODI and T20I coach for Pakistan’s men’s cricket team, Gary Kirsten has stepped down from his role. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had appointed former South Africa opening batsman Gary Kirsten as the head coach for the senior men’s white-ball teams on April 28, 2024, while naming former Australian pacer Jason Gillespie as the head coach of the Test team. Exactly six months later, Kirsten has resigned.
On Monday, the PCB confirmed that it had accepted Kirsten’s resignation following his submission. This announcement comes amid ongoing media speculation about the circumstances of his departure.
Media reports suggest a “rift” between Kirsten, Gillespie, and the PCB, reportedly due to the board’s decision to “strip them of selection powers.” Sources also indicated significant differences of opinion between Kirsten and certain players, with the PCB reportedly declining his request to appoint David Reid as a high-performance coach.
“I’m not a selector; I’m a match-day strategist as head coach,” Gillespie stated in a recent press conference. “My focus is on the players. I’ll let the selectors do their job… I’m getting splinters in my arse from sitting on the fence here.”
Following Pakistan’s defeat by England in the first Test match, the PCB appointed a new five-member selection panel, which made bold decisions, including the exclusion of Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Naseem Shah. These changes ultimately led to a series turnaround, with Pakistan winning 2-1.
