Gary Kirsten to step down as Pakistan's white-ball head coach
Former South African cricketer and India's World Cup-winning coach Gary Kirsten is reportedly set to resign as Pakistan's white-ball head coach. The development comes just months after he took up the role in May this year. CricBuzz first reported the news and also revealed that Kirsten will not be traveling with the team on their upcoming tour to Australia.
Kirsten's tenure marked by disagreements and criticism
Kirsten's time as head coach has been marred by differences with players. He has been vocal against the team, especially after their T20 World Cup outing earlier this year. After Pakistan's loss to India, Kirsten had said, "There's no unity in Pakistan's team. They call it a team, but it isn't a team." His remarks highlighted the rift in the camp under his reign.
Kirsten's departure linked to PCB's staffing decisions
The report further adds that Kirsten's decision to step down is related to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)'s refusal to appoint David Reid as a High Performance coach. Despite his brief tenure, Kirsten has guided the team to two T20 victories against Ireland and Canada in the T20 World Cup. However, the wins were marred by four losses in six matches under his leadership.
PCB considers replacements as Kirsten's tenure ends prematurely
Kirsten was initially appointed to lead the team for the Champions Trophy, T20 World Cup 2026, and Asia Cup 2025. However, his tenure is set to end prematurely. In light of this development, the PCB is considering potential replacements. Test coach Jason Gillespie and current selector Aaqib Javed are among those being considered for the white-ball head coach role before the team's tour to Australia.
