Pakistan’s white-ball coach Gary Kirsten has resigned from his Position

Just six months into his role as head coach for Pakistan’s white-ball cricket teams, Gary Kirsten has stepped down due to irreconcilable differences over team management and operations. In response, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has asked Jason Gillespie, the red-ball team’s current coach, to take on coaching responsibilities for both formats.

Reports from Cricbuzz hinted at Kirsten’s potential exit, which was confirmed by the PCB on Monday. The announcement came just before Pakistan’s twin tours of Australia and Zimbabwe, where they are scheduled to play six white-ball matches in each country. “After Gary Kirsten submitted his resignation, which was accepted, Jason Gillespie will coach the Pakistan men’s cricket team for next month’s white-ball tour of Australia”, the PCB said in an official statement. A portion of Pakistan’s 15-man ODI team departed for Australia on Monday, and the rest arrived on Tuesday.

Tensions between Kirsten and several players reportedly contributed to the decision, with disagreements emerging around team management. Additionally, Kirsten’s request to appoint David Reid as a High Performance coach was declined by the PCB, which suggested other candidates-an alternative Kirsten did not find suitable. On top of this, the PCB removed both Kirsten and Gillespie from their initial roles in the selection panels. Mickey Arthur, who previously coached Pakistan, publicly criticized the decision, stressing on social media the importance of coaches having input in selection. “The coach must set roles with players and give clear feedback if they want to be taken seriously,” he added.

These issues have left the PCB in a challenging spot, with the ICC Champions Trophy just four months away. Since Pakistan is hosting the ICC tournament for the first time in over 20 years, the PCB will need to quickly address the white-ball coaching situation, especially given the necessity for stable leadership.

Kirsten originally joined Pakistan’s white-ball teams in mid-May after finishing a stint with the Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League (IPL). His arrival was marked by struggles, beginning with a series loss in England against Jos Buttler’s squad. The team’s performance continued to falter in the T20 World Cup, with a shocking defeat to host team USA and a subsequent loss to India, which ended Pakistan’s chance to progress to the knockout stages.

With Gillespie recently guiding the Test team to a comeback 2-1 series victory against England, it remains unclear whether he will continue to coach both formats through to the Champions Trophy, or if the PCB will soon seek a full-time coach for the white-ball side.