Gary Kirsten, Jason Gillespie named Pakistan cricket team coaches

Former South Africa opener Gary Kirsten and ex-Australia seamer Jason Gillespie were named as head coaches of the Pakistan cricket team on Sunday. Kirsten, who has been part of the Indian cricket team coaching setup in the past, will spearhead the white-ball teams while Gillespie will steer the Test side on a two-year contract.

It is the first time Pakistan have employed separate coaches for different formats.

“Both Kirsten and Gillespie are famous and experienced coaches and their appointment confirms the trust the international community has in our team,” Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore.

“We want to give the team the best facilities and that is why we have gone for Kirsten and Gillespie,” he added.

Kirsten played 101 Tests and 185 ODIs for South Africa between 1993 to 2004 before coaching India to win the 2011 ODI World Cup on home soil.

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The 56-year-old is currently mentoring Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League.

He will join the Pakistan team on their tour of England next month. Pakistan are due to play four T20I matches in England starting 22 May.

“Understanding the current state of the team and charting a path towards our desired goals is paramount,” said Kirsten.

“Winning global events, while challenging, remains a significant objective.

“Whether it’s the upcoming tournament in June or events in the future, achieving success in these competitions would be a remarkable feat.”

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Gillespie, 49, played 71 Tests and 97 ODIs in a glorious career for Australia. He coached Yorkshire to the English County Championship titles in 2014 and 2015.

“Leading the Pakistan cricket team is a big achievement for any coach, given its rich legacy and passionate fan base,” said Gillespie.

“I understand there will be expectation and that comes with the role. All I can do is to take it in my stride and I would not have taken on the job if I did not think I could deal with it.”

Former Pakistan all-rounder Azhar Mahmood will be the assistant coach to both Kirsten and Gillespie.

Mahmood was named Pakistan’s interim head coach for the New Zealand T20I series which finished 2-2 on Saturday in Lahore .

Gillespie will join the team when Pakistan host Bangladesh and England later this year.

Asked if Kirsten and Gillespie would be available with the Pakistan team all the time, he said the coaches will mostly be with the team and take their vacations as agreed in their contracts.

“We also want their expertise to improve our domestic cricket and help our local coaches,” said Naqvi.

Mahmood, who attended the media conference, said it was time the Pakistani players showed more discipline and did things out of the box.

“If we are to keep up with the changing times in cricket our players also have to do some things unconventionally and think out of the box,” he said.

The appointments are part of Mohsin Naqvi’s reorganisation since taking over as Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman in February, which has also seen the selection committee restructured.

Amid the changes, Babar Azam was re-appointed the white-ball captain last month, replacing Shaheen Shah Afridi and players have been required to train at an army base to improve their fitness.

Pakistan will also play three T20Is in Ireland before facing England and then heading to the United States for the T20 World Cup in June.

Long term hunt

Pakistan had been on the search for a full-time head coach since the conclusion of the ODI World Cup last year where they failed to enter the knockout stages.

After their shambolic effort in the marquee event, Pakistan had sacked the entire set of coaching staff - head coach Grant Bradburn, team director Mickey Arthur, bowling coach Morne Morkel and batting coach Andrew Puttick.

Pakistan struggled to find a full-time coach despite approaching some top names such as Matthew Hayden and Shane Watson. Eventually, they zeroed in on Kirsten and Gillespie.

Naqvi explained the rationale behind choosing foreign names for coaching roles. “We have maintained a balance for this. There’s a lot of talent in our country. But we’re not that far ahead in medical sciences which is why there are some fitness issues in our team.

“So, closing our options to get the best options from outside our country may not get us the best results for us,” said Naqvi.