Former South African legend Gary Kirsten abruptly announced his resignation as Pakistan’s head coach for ODI and Twenty20 International a week before Pakistan’s ODI series against Australia. He abruptly halted his stay with Pakistan’s team as the coach for about six months.
Gary Kirsten to quit Pakistan Head Coach job due to differences in opinion of him and PCB. (Cricbuzz). pic.twitter.com/t9viSj6EL0
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) October 28, 2024
Insecurity In Coaching Staff End
According to ESPNCricinfo Report, Kirsten resigned at a time when tension was running high between him, fellow coach Jason Gillespie, and the PCB. Things became worse after the PCB decided to remove selection powers from the coaches and give it over to a selection committee single-handedly. Gillespie was not satisfied with this and referred to himself as a “match-day analyst” and said that this was not what he had agreed to do.
Lack Of Input And Leadership Changes
Kirsten has not commented publicly on his resignation. Sources close to the board have said that he was disillusioned with the recent happenings on the board. He had a difference of opinion with the board over the delayed announcement of the squad and the new limited-overs captain. Kirsten was not present when captain Mohammad Rizwan was announced in Lahore, while PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi and members of the selection committee were present.
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Increasing Selection Committee Interference
The coaches felt relegated to the sidelines as the influence of the selection committee increased. Even before the first Test match between Pakistan and England ended, Pakistan announced a new selection panel—the third one in only three months. The selection committee consisted of Aaqib Javed, Aleem Dar, Azhar Ali, Asad Shafiq, and Hassan Cheema, which left the coaches and the captain out of the loop on matters of selection.
A Surprising Exit
This makes Kirsten’s exit remarkable, considering the fact that he departs without coaching Pakistan in a single ODI, a format where he had achieved tremendous success earlier. The PCB had, after a long search for high-profile coaches, including Shane Watson and Daren Sammy, hailed Kirsten’s hiring as a huge opportunity for the team.
A Rocky Start
The biggest test for Kirsten, her first, ended in disappointment as Pakistan lost to the USA and then India in the T20 World Cup and got its earliest exit from any ICC tournament. This was followed shortly by Babar Azam resigning as white-ball captain for the second time as well. Still, people are hopeful that Kirsten will finally stabilize the team when the ICC Champions Trophy, is hosted in early 2025 and takes place in Pakistan.
What’s Next For Pakistan Cricket?
At this time, it is still anybody’s guess who will act as head coach for their tours of Australia and Zimbabwe. Pakistan’s three matches against Australia, consisting of three ODIs and T20Is, start as early as November 4, barely a week or so from now. So, the PCB has to bring in someone who can perform the task on the go under the circumstances.
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