There has been another major upheaval in Pakistan cricket this year, when Pakistan Test team head coach Jason Gillespie resigned from his post. The development comes after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) faced significant criticism over its decisions. Angered by the board’s policies, Gillespie decided to resign before the South Africa tour. In his place, Pakistan Cricket Board has now appointed former fast bowler Aaqib Javed as the interim head coach of the Test team.
Jason Gillespie’s resignation: angry with the board’s decisions
The resignation of Jason Gillespie, who started his journey with Pakistan cricket, has shocked the entire cricket world. In April 2024, the Pakistan Cricket Board appointed him as the head coach of the Test team. Gillespie hoped that his experience and tactics would take the Pakistan team to new heights, but it did not happen. Gillespie informed the board about his disagreements and displeasure before leaving for the South Africa tour.
The Pakistan Cricket Board immediately appointed Aaqib Javed as an interim solution following this decision. Javed is a prominent name in Pakistan cricket, known for his fast bowling career. His experience and struggle can give a new direction for Pakistan cricket.
What will be the change in the coaching of Aaqib Javed?
After the appointment of Aaqib Javed as the interim head coach, all eyes are now on the direction he takes the performance of the Pakistan Test team. Javed has deep experience in cricket, and his understanding of fast bowling can prove to be very important for Pakistan. Under his coaching, Pakistan team can be successful in adopting a new confidence and approach.
His first big Test as interim coach will be in the first Test match starting on December 26 in Centurion, when Pakistan will have to show its strength against South Africa. After this, the second Test will be held in Cape Town from January 3, where Pakistan will get a chance to implement its strategies.
Gary Kirsten’s resignation and its reason
Before this resignation, there were more difficulties for the Pakistan Cricket Board. Recently, the Pakistan Cricket Board had taken away the selection rights from its captains and head coaches. For this reason, in October, Gary Kirsten left his post after six months.
Gary Kirsten was appointed the head coach of Pakistan’s ODI and T-20 teams in May this year. However, a dispute over selection rights ended his journey early. Kirsten’s resignation was a big blow to Pakistan cricket, as he is considered a reputed coach and the team’s performance was expected to improve under his coaching.
Mickey Arthur’s resignation: a sign of another big change
After the resignation of Gary Kirsten, more changes were seen in the Pakistan Cricket Board. After the ICC ODI World Cup 2023, the Pakistan Cricket Board had made many changes in its support staff. The Pakistan team could not make it to the semi-finals of the ODI World Cup, due to which questions were raised on the policy of the board and the strategies of the coaching team.
Mickey Arthur, Grant Bradburn and Andrew Puttick also resigned from their posts after the World Cup. Mickey Arthur, who was appointed the Pakistan team director in April 2023, decided to end his coaching journey. Bradburn was appointed the head coach of the Pakistan cricket team last year, but the team’s performance under his leadership was disappointing, due to which he was also forced to resign.
Why are these events important for the Pakistan Cricket Board?
These events could prove to be a turning point for the Pakistan Cricket Board. The resignation of coaches one after the other and questions being raised on the policies of the board are an indication that a new direction is now needed regarding the future of Pakistan cricket. In this changing era of cricket, Pakistan not only needs stability in its coaching staff but also needs a strong and stable strategy that can make the team competitive at the international level.
The way forward for the team
The biggest challenge for the Pakistan cricket team now will be how they strengthen their position in the upcoming international matches. Their success on the 2024 South Africa tour will depend on how the new coaching staff and team perform together. Fans of Pakistan cricket hope that Aaqib Javed will give confidence and guide the team in the right direction during his coaching, so that Pakistan cricket gets to see a new era.
