Former Australian pacer Jason Gillespie has resigned as Pakistan’s head coach after a seven-month tenure. Former Pakistan pacer and ex-selector Aqib Javed will take over as interim head coach for the red-ball team.
Earlier, reports surfaced online suggesting Gillespie’s resignation was linked to the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) decision not to renew assistant coach Tim Nielsen’s contract. Additionally, Gillespie reportedly refused to travel with the team to South Africa.
On Thursday, December 12, the PCB confirmed Gillespie’s departure and announced Aqib Javed’s appointment as interim coach in an official statement.
“The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has named Aqib Javed as interim red-ball head coach of the Pakistan men’s cricket team following the resignation of red-ball head-coach Jason Gillespie.”
“Aqib’s first assignment as red-ball head-coach will be the two-match Test series against South Africa during the ongoing all-format tour. The first Test is scheduled at the SuperSport Park in Centurion from 26 to 30 December. The second Test will be played at the Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town from 3 to 7 January.”
How successful was Jason Gillespie’s tenure with Pakistan?
Jason Gillespie was appointed Pakistan’s Test coach in April 2024 on a two-year contract. His tenure began with a disappointing 2-0 home series defeat to Bangladesh.
He then oversaw a mixed Test series against England, where Pakistan lost the first Test but bounced back to secure a 2-1 series victory, their first home Test series win since 2021. This marked a significant milestone as it was Pakistan’s first Test series win on home soil since 2021.
Additionally, Gillespie temporarily took over as white-ball coach after Gary Kirsten’s resignation, guiding Pakistan to a historic ODI series win in Australia after 22 years. It remains to be seen which team will seek his expertise next.
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