Former Pakistan red-ball coach Jason Gillespie speaks throughout a press convention. — PCB/File
Former Australian cricketer Jason Gillespie, in an interview with Australian media, make clear his resolution to step down as Pakistan’s red-ball head coach, attributing it to issues about his function.
Gillespie disclosed {that a} lack of readability over Excessive-Efficiency Coach Tim Nielsen’s place performed a vital function in his resignation.
“I was completely unaware of the decision not to retain Tim Nielsen,” Gillespie said. “This situation, along with past incidents, made me question whether I was truly needed. Not informing the head coach about such a major decision compelled me to think this way.”
He expressed issues concerning the diminishing goal of his function within the nation’s cricket setup.
“The purpose of my coaching stint in Pakistan was fading away,” he defined.
“My role was reduced to giving catching practice to players on match mornings,” he added.
The previous coach emphasised the significance of communication in his function because the head-coach.
“It is essential for a head coach to maintain full communication with selectors and everyone else,” he mentioned.
“For planning purposes, I need to be informed about the squad at least a day in advance. Without these basic requirements, working becomes very difficult.”
The 49-year-old additionally highlighted how the decision-making course of grew to become much more difficult after the Nielsen state of affairs.
“I found out about the new selection committee via a text message in the group chat after the first match against England,” he revealed. “No one discussed the selection committee issue with me.”
One of many contentious selections by the brand new choice committee was to drop star batter Babar Azam from the second match of the current Take a look at sequence towards Englad — a transfer Gillespie felt symbolised the shortage of coordination.
“The decision to drop Babar Azam was made by the new selection committee,” he concluded.
It’s pertinent to say that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) declined to resume the contract of red-ball assistant coach Nielsen.
Nielsen, appointed because the “high-performance red-ball coach” in August 2024, noticed his contract expire following Pakistan’s current tour of Australia.
Regardless of expressing his dedication to the upcoming longer-format sequence towards South Africa and the West Indies, Nielsen revealed that the PCB had knowledgeable him that his companies have been now not required.
Jason Gillespie was appointed because the red-ball head coach of the Pakistan group on April 28, 2024.
His first task was a two-match house Take a look at sequence towards Bangladesh, during which the Pakistan group suffered a 2-0 whitewash defeat.
His second task was a three-match house Take a look at sequence towards England, which Pakistan gained 2-1.
After his resignation, Aqib Javed was named interim head coach forward of the two-match Take a look at sequence towards South Africa, scheduled from December 20, 2024, to January 7, 2025, in Centurion and Cape City.
