The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has refuted the reports of Aaqib Javed replacing the head coach Jason Gillespie across formats. The news, reported by ESPNCricinfo, had said that selection committee convenor Javed will take over the head coach job for Pakitan across formats after Gillespie turned down the offer to oversee all the teams.
Gillespie, who was named the Test coach about six months ago, was also serving as interim white-ball coach after Gary Kirsten stood down last month.
“PCB strongly refutes the story. As announced previously, Jason Gillespie will continue to coach the Pakistan side for the two red-ball matches against South Africa,” read a statement by the PCB.
The drama in Pakistan cricket continues to unfold with their musical chair rounds with the coaches taking the stage now. The drama began shortly after Pakistan’s exit from the ODI World Cup 2023 last year when they failed to make it to the semi-finals.
Team director Mickey Arthur and coach Grant Bradburn were let go and Mohammad Hafeez took over on the tour of Australia where they lost miserably.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) then went ahead with Kirsten as white-ball coach and Gillespie for the red-ball format. Kirsten, however, decided to put down the papers in October last month without coaching the team in a single ODI amid drama around the selection committee and captains.
Gillespie, on the other hand, stayed on the job and was given the charge of white-ball teams on interim basis.
Gillespie has had a mixed stint as the coach where Pakistan lost to Bangladesh 0-2 at home in a Test series before beating England 2-1 in the three-Test series in come-from-behind victory – their first Test series win in nearly four years.
Gillespie also oversaw Pakistan’s first ODI series win in Australia in 22 years before losing the T20I series.
As for Javed, his rise has been fast in Pakistan cricket in the last few months. He was the apparent mastermind behind spin pitches in the last two Tests against England at home which Pakistan won after losing the first Test. He was also named in the selection committee last month in an overhaul which didn’t go well with the coaches.
