The Pakistan white-ball head coach Gary Kirsten has quit his position. Kirsten’s resignation came just hours after the announcement of the new white-ball captain and vice-captain.
Kirsten was appointed as Pakistan’s white-ball head coach in April 2024 and his tenure lasted only six months. During this time, Pakistan played just one major tournament, the T20 World Cup 2024, where they were eliminated in the first stage.
The former South African opener resigned just days before Pakistan’s white-ball series against Australia, which includes three ODIs and three T20Is starting November 4.
The resignation has not been officially announced yet but is expected soon. According to ESPNcricinfo, there was friction between Kirsten and the PCB after the board decided to exclude him from the selection panel.
The newly formed selection committee removed both Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie from team selection responsibilities following Pakistan’s disappointing defeat to England in the first Test at Multan.
Reportedly Kirsten was unhappy with this decision, while Gillespie publicly expressed his discontent, saying he now felt like “just a match-day analyst.”
While Kirsten remained private about his dissatisfaction, reports indicate he felt sidelined by the selection committee’s influence which now includes Aaqib Javed, Aleem Dar, Azhar Ali, Asad Shafiq, and Hassan Cheema.
Kirsten’s stint as head coach only covered the T20 World Cup 2024, where Pakistan exited early. He didn’t oversee any ODIs, which is his area of strength based on his prior coaching success.
Known for his tenure as India’s head coach during their 2011 ODI World Cup win and leading them to the No. 1 Test rankings in 2009, Kirsten is still regarded as one of the best coaches in India.
With Kirsten unavailable for the upcoming Australia series – Jason Gillespie will step in as the interim head coach. Gillespie’s knowledge of Australian conditions could prove beneficial for Pakistan on this tour.
