Gary Kirsten named Pakistan's white-ball coach; Jason Gillespie for Test side

Lahore, April 28: Gary Kirsten, the former chief coach of the Indian team that won the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in 2011, has been appointed the head coach of the Pakistan white ball team, the PCB announced on Sunday.

Meanwhile, former Australian fast bowler Jason Gillespie has been appointed head coach for the Test side, while Azhar Mahmood has also been confirmed as an assistant coach across all formats.

The three appointments have been made for a two-year period following a recruitment process, the PCB said.

"I extend my congratulations to Jason Gillespie and Gary Kirsten on their appointments as the red and white-ball head coaches of the Pakistan men’s cricket team, respectively. Their stellar track records precede them, and I warmly welcome them to the Pakistan cricket family," PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi said.

"Jason’s coaching career has been marked by success both at the domestic and international levels, with a focus on player development and achieving excellence in team performance. Gary’s coaching career has been marked by his ability to instill a winning mentality, develop young talent, and achieve success at the highest levels of the game, making him one of the most respected and sought-after coaches in cricket," he added.

Kirsten, who is serving as batting coach and mentor to Gujarat Titans, will take charge of the side immediately after completing his assignment in the IPL.

During his tenure, besides the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 and other bilateral white-ball series, Kirsten will also be in charge of the side for next year’s ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan, ACC T20 Asia Cup 2025 and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka, the PCB statement read.

Kirsten was the head coach of India from 2008-2011, where he won ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2011 glory after 28 years and also took them to the No.1 position on the ICC Test Team Rankings. More recently, he was part of the title-winning Gujarat Titans coaching setup in 2022.

"I eagerly anticipate this opportunity and aim to contribute positively to the Pakistan men's national team in limited-overs cricket. As a coach, it’s immensely gratifying to assist players in unlocking their full potential. I eagerly anticipate collaborating with the individual players and the team, facilitating their growth and development.

"My primary objective is to ensure the team operates at its optimal level. Success on the field is contingent upon the team performing at its best. Consistency and continuity are values I hold dear. While player form fluctuations are inevitable, maintaining a stable environment is crucial. I am committed to supporting players through their ups and downs, prioritising continuity in selections whenever possible," Kirsten was quoted by PCB.

Gillespie, on the other hand, will assume responsibilities for the ICC World Test Championship fixtures against Bangladesh (at home in August), which will be followed by Tests against England (at home in October) and South Africa (away in December) in the 2024-25 season.

Gillespie was at the helm of Yorkshire County Cricket Club, where he led them to back-to-back titles in 2014 and 2015. He also coached Adelaide Strikers from 2015-2024, guiding the side to the BBL title in the 2017-18 season; Sussex from 2018-2020 and South Australia from 2020-2024.

"I love Test cricket and being able to focus on that is something I like very much. I also love the fact that there is so much talent in Pakistan. I like to think that I can help in some way to grow and develop the players. I want to win Tests – that is why I am taking this role. I love winning and I know we have got the skills to make that happen.

"The ICC World Test Championship is the ultimate in the Test format. I understand this cycle is likely to prove too great a task as we would need to win a lot of matches in a short space of time to have any chance of making the final, but aspiring to be in that final, and to winning it, has to be a medium- to long-term goal for us," said Gillespie.