Former Pakistan red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie recently claimed that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has not fully cleared his salary dues. Gillespie took to Instagram to share excerpts from his interview with Pakistani media, stating that he is still awaiting part of his remuneration.
He also expressed disappointment over how the coaching dream was short-lived, saying, “Gary Kirsten and I got sold the dream of building a team. Losing a game, and all of a sudden, that gets thrown out of the window.” Gillespie and Gary Kirsten were appointed in April 2024 as head coaches for red-ball and white-ball formats, respectively, under two-year contracts. However, both resigned within six months due to the PCB significantly reducing their authority, including their exclusion from the national selection committee.
PCB Denies Allegations, Cites Contract Breach
In response to Gillespie’s public statements, the PCB issued an official clarification denying the allegations of non-payment. The board emphasized that Gillespie had breached his contract by resigning without serving the mandatory four-month notice period, which was a condition clearly outlined in his agreement. “The PCB refutes claims made by a former head coach on the non-payment of his dues,” the board said in its statement.
They added that Gillespie was fully aware of the notice clause, and his abrupt exit from the role was a violation of the contract terms. This marks the first public financial dispute involving either Gillespie or Kirsten since their departure from Pakistan’s coaching setup.
Search for New Coaching Staff Underway
Following the resignations of Gillespie and Kirsten, the PCB is now actively seeking replacements. On Saturday, the board posted job openings for the national team’s head coach and the Director of the High Performance Centre in Lahore. Former Test cricketer Aaqib Javed has been serving as interim head coach across all formats but is reportedly more interested in taking over the High Performance Centre role permanently.
The PCB has set a deadline of May 5 for applications and appears to be leaning toward appointing a low-profile foreign coach this time, according to inside sources. Meanwhile, the post of Director fell vacant after Nadeem Khan’s resignation, further prompting a reshuffle within Pakistan’s coaching hierarchy.
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