Gary Kirsten, Jason Gillespie named Pakistan's white, red-ball coaches
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi confirms that Azhar Mahmood will remain assistant coach for both formats
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi on Sunday held a press conference along with interim coach Azhar Mahmood where he announced coaches for red and white-ball cricket for the men's national side.
Former South African batter Gary Kirsten was named the head coach of white-ball cricket while ex-Australian pacer Jason Gillespie was announced as Test cricket coach.
Speaking during the presser, Naqvi said: “We are bringing Jason Gillespie as red-ball coach while Gary Kirsten will be the head coach of the team in white-ball cricket. Their stellar track records precede them, and I warmly welcome them to the Pakistan cricket family.
“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.
The PCB chairman also announced that former cricketer Azhar Mahmood will remain the assistant coach for both formats, adding that he will be a bond between the red and white-ball team.
Mahmood, who was sitting next to Naqvi, also addressed the presser and claimed that his role in the team is getting important and praised the PCB for trusting him with another responsibility.
“I would like to thank the PCB for entrusting me with another job, my goal is to bring Pakistan forward,” Mahmood said. “This is the first time two foreign coaches are coming to Pakistan.”
Both the coaches are appointed for a two-year period. Kirsten will join the team in Pakistan’s tour to England in May, which would be their last outing before the commencement of the T20 World Cup 2024.
The former Proteas batter will 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 while Gillespie will manage the team in their pursuit of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25.
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