Mickey Arthur breaks silence on Pakistan’s coaching drama

Former Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur has weighed in on the ongoing debate sparked by current head coach Aqib Javed’s comments about the coaching system and former red-ball coach Jason Gillespie’s sharp response.

The dispute began when Javed, during a press conference following the announcement of Pakistan's white-ball squad for the upcoming tour of New Zealand, criticised the instability in the team's coaching structure.

"We have changed nearly 16 coaches and 26 selectors in the last two years," Javed stated.

"If you apply that formula to any team in the world, they would face similar instability. Until there is consistency from the top down, progress will remain elusive," he added.

Gillespie, however, fired back with a scathing response, accusing Javed of allegedly lobbying for a coaching role across all formats.

In a social media post, the former Australian all-rounder did not hold back, labeling Javed a "clown" in reaction to his remarks.

"This is hilarious. Aqib was clearly undermining Gary [Kirsten] and me behind the scenes, campaigning to be the coach in all formats. He is a clown," Gillespie wrote.

During an interview, Arthur later joined the debate, siding with Gillespie.

"I love this quote, to be brutally honest. Jason Gillespie is a wonderful coach, a wonderful man. Pakistan cricket just continues to shoot itself in the foot. It is its own worst enemy. There are so many good players; they’ve got the resources now; there's so much young talent," Arthur said.

"They have incredible skill, and yet it's still so chaotic. It's really disappointing to see. I thought when they signed Gillespie and Kirsten, they had gone down exactly the right route, and they had some really good players. Because ultimately, it’s the players who lose out," he added.

The 56-year-old lamented that despite the presence of highly capable coaches who had the potential to uplift the team, internal conflicts continue to hinder Pakistan cricket’s growth and stability.

"They had some really good coaches who could take them forward. But then, the usual machine that operates in Pakistan cricket kicked in—agendas were pushed, and media narratives were manipulated," he said.

"It's a jungle out there, and I feel desperately sorry for Gary and Jason. There's no doubt they were undermined, and ultimately, it’s the players—and Pakistan cricket as a whole—who suffer," he concluded.