Jason Gillespie Resigns as Pakistan’s Test Coach

Aaqib Javed will serve as the interim coach for Pakistan’s two-match Test series against South Africa, following Jason Gillespie’s resignation as head coach of the Pakistan Test team. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officially confirmed Gillespie’s departure after a period of uncertainty, which culminated in him refusing to board his scheduled flight to South Africa. Despite being booked on a 6 AM flight from Adelaide on Friday, Gillespie informed the PCB that he would not be joining the team, deciding to walk away after strained relations with the board reached a breaking point.

Aaqib Javed, who is currently serving as the interim coach for both of Pakistan’s white-ball teams, will now lead the Test side temporarily. ESPNcricinfo had initially reported last month that Gillespie’s tenure as head coach was coming to an end, with Aaqib set to take over all formats. While the PCB denied those reports at the time, stating that Gillespie would remain in charge for the South Africa series, the relationship between the coach and the board deteriorated further. Gillespie’s anger was triggered by the PCB’s decision not to renew high-performance red-ball coach Tim Nielsen’s contract, a move that was made without consulting him. Nielsen had expressed his willingness to continue working with the team, but was informed his services would no longer be needed. This lack of communication and respect from the PCB ultimately led to Gillespie’s resignation.

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Gillespie’s Departure Marks Final Strain in Relationship with PCB

This seems to have been the breaking point for Gillespie. ESPNcricinfo understands that he informed the PCB of his decision not to travel under the current circumstances. It is unclear whether the Pakistan Cricket Board attempted to convince him to reconsider, as a source close to Gillespie stated that the board had not made contact with him in the past day.

The relationship between Gillespie and the PCB, which had been deteriorating for months, finally reached its breaking point. Gillespie was appointed alongside Gary Kirsten in April, with PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi praising his “stellar track record.” However, since October, the board’s attitude towards Gillespie cooled, starting with his removal from the selection panel for the Test side. This left him feeling sidelined, as though he were merely a “matchday analyst” rather than fulfilling the role he had signed up for. Gillespie had minimal involvement in the selection of the Test squad for the South Africa tour and was also excluded from the decision to not renew Tim Nielsen’s contract.

Strained Relations and Shifting Coaching Strategy at PCB

Communication between Gillespie and the PCB had been limited since Pakistan’s white-ball series in Australia, where he served as the interim coach following Gary Kirsten’s departure. The PCB initially asked Gillespie to stay on until the Champions Trophy but did not offer an adequate financial package, which further strained their relationship. Gillespie’s frustration also grew due to his belief that Tim Nielsen had developed a strong rapport with the players.

Both Gillespie and Nielsen felt that Nielsen’s lack of a base in Pakistan was a key reason behind the PCB’s decision not to extend his contract, despite Nielsen being available for the upcoming tours. This decision contributed to further tensions between the coach and the board, as Gillespie had a significant level of respect for Nielsen’s work with the players.

While the PCB has not yet announced a replacement for Nielsen, it has shown a clear preference for replacing overseas coaches with those based in Pakistan. Aaqib Javed, who took over the white-ball teams on an interim basis, will now assume the role of all-format coach and is also part of the selection panel.