Former all-rounder tipped for Pakistan red-ball coaching role: sources

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is actively considering appointing former cricketer Azhar Mahmood as the head coach of the national red-ball team, sources have confirmed.

Azhar Mahmood, who signed a two-year contract with the PCB in April 2024, previously served as the assistant coach for the national side. 

However, following the appointment of Mike Hesson as the white-ball head coach, Mahmood was excluded from the coaching staff for the recent series against Bangladesh.

With his contract still in effect, the PCB is exploring the possibility of reassigning Mahmood to a prominent role within the Test setup. 

Pakistan is scheduled to play upcoming Test series against South Africa and Bangladesh during the remainder of his contract, making the timing for his potential appointment significant.

A formal announcement is expected in the coming weeks.

It is pertinent to mention that former Australian all-rounder Jason Gillespie was appointed as Pakistan’s red-ball head coach on April 28, 2024. 

His first assignment saw Pakistan suffer a 2-0 whitewash defeat in a home Test series against Bangladesh. However, the team bounced back under his guidance to claim a 2-1 series victory against England in another home series.

Gillespie later resigned from his position, citing internal communication issues within the PCB setup. 

In an interview with Australian media, he revealed that he was not informed about the decision to part ways with High-Performance Coach Tim Nielsen — a move that played a major role in his resignation.

“I was completely unaware of the decision not to retain Tim Nielsen,” Gillespie stated. “This situation, along with past incidents, made me question whether I was truly needed. Not informing the head coach about such a major decision compelled me to think this way.”

Gillespie expressed frustration over his diminishing responsibilities, saying, “The purpose of my coaching stint in Pakistan was fading away. My role was reduced to giving catching practice to players on match mornings.”

Following his departure, former Pakistan fast bowler Aqib Javed was named interim head coach for the upcoming two-match Test series against South Africa, scheduled from December 20, 2024, to January 7, 2025, in Centurion and Cape Town.