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Just a day after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) named veteran wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan as their new white-ball skipper, replacing Babar Azam after the latter opted to step down earlier this month, Gary Kirsten is likely to quit from the coaching role just months after his appointment. Amid the ongoing turmoil in the Pakistan men’s cricket team, reports have revealed that Kirsten is no longer looking to continue in the role as the head coach.
Notably, Gary Kirsten began his tenure as Pakistan men’s team’s head coach in May after the conclusion of his role with the Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Since his appointment, Pakistan lost a bilateral series against England and were knocked out of the T20 World Cup 2024 in the group stage after defeats against USA as well as their arch-rivals India.
Gary Kirsten to step down as Pakistan’s Head Coach: Reports
According to a report published by Cricbuzz, Gary Kirsten is not willing to continue in his role with the Pakistan’s men’s cricket team with the ICC Champions Trophy just four months away. Moreover, reports have revealed that he will not be a part of the two contingents that will travel to Australia for three ODIs as well as three T20Is. It is further being reported that he will also not travel to Zimbabwe for the white-ball series.
As per the report quoting Cricbuzz, the decision of Gary Kirsten to step down from the role comes after differences between him and the players as well as disagreements with the cricket board over the coaching staff decisions. It is to be noted that former South African cricketer requested the appointment of David Reid as Pakistan’s High Performance Coach, but the decision wasn’t aligned with the PCB, leading to strained relations.
If the speculations are to be believed, Jason Gillespie, who is Pakistan’s red-ball coach, could temporarily take over the reigns across formats. However, Aaqib Javed, national selector of the Pakistan cricket team is being looked upon as the frontrunner for this position.
