There has always been no dearth of controversies in Pakistan cricket, but this time the matter has become a little more heated. After Pakistan’s poor performance in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, fingers are being raised on the decisions of the coaching staff and the board
Amidst all this drama, former Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur gave his opinion on the controversy between Jason Gillespie and Aaqib Javed and directly called Pakistan cricket a ‘jungle’!
What is the whole matter?
Actually, the condition of the Pakistan team in the Champions Trophy was such that the anger of the fans reached the seventh sky. Pakistan, which is hosting the tournament, did not win a single match. First lost to New Zealand, then India also gave a crushing defeat, and the team was eliminated in the group stage itself.
After this poor performance, head coach Aaqib Javed said that the habit of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) of frequently changing coaches and selectors is proving disastrous for the team.
But the real uproar happened when former Pakistan red-ball coach Jason Gillespie called Aaqib Javed a ‘joker’.
He alleged that Aaqib made himself the coach of all formats by humiliating him and former white-ball coach Gary Kirsten. This controversy sparked a new debate in Pakistan cricket.
“Pakistan cricket is cutting its own roots” – Mickey Arthur
Now former Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur has also given his opinion on this whole matter. He said that Pakistan cricket is its own biggest enemy and it needs to be improved. While talking to TalkSport, he said:
“To be honest, Jason Gillespie is a great coach and human being. But Pakistan cricket is repeatedly shooting itself in the foot. There is tremendous talent and resources, but still everything is in disarray. When I heard that Gillespie and Kirsten have been appointed as coaches, I felt that Pakistan is moving in the right direction. But what is happening now is very disappointing.”
Mickey Arthur clearly said that coaching politics in Pakistan is having a bad effect on the careers of the players. He said that in the competition to humiliate each other, the real loss is being suffered by the team and the players.
“Pakistan cricket is a jungle”, Arthur’s big revelation
Mickey Arthur strongly attacked the atmosphere of Pakistan cricket and called it a ‘jungle’. He said that there is so much chaos there that even good coaches cannot concentrate on their work.
“Pakistan cricket is a jungle. It is not easy for anyone to work there. I have seen it closely myself. Everyone there works under some agenda. News is planted in the media, conspiracies are hatched to defame the players and coaching staff.”
He further said that Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie were underestimated, which is a big loss for Pakistan cricket.
“I feel very bad for Gary and Jason. They are great coaches, but the environment there does not allow them to work properly. Pakistan has good players and good coaches, but until the interference does not stop, cricket will not be able to progress.”
One thing is clear that if Pakistan has to save its cricket, then it will have to come out of its internal conflicts. The politics going on between the coach and the players will have to end. Otherwise, no matter how much talent there is, the team will always remain lost in a jungle.
