New Delhi: Pakistan’s white-ball coach Gary Kirsten’s sudden resignation has left experts and analysts critiquing the ongoing power tussle within the Pakistan Cricket Board. Former cricketers rained down hard on the board after reports suggested that Kirsten’s resignation came due to “a difference of opinion” between him and the management.
PCB announced Kirsten’s resignation on Monday, days after Pakistan’s historic 2-0 win against England in Multan—their first Test win in three years. The board also added that Jason Gillespie will now be heading the team in an ODI series against Australia from 4 November.
“Seems like we can’t seem to digest one good week in Pakistan cricket. Rash decision making like this makes the long term success of the board even more harder. This is no way to treat someone, especially a coach like Gary Kirsten. Who was responsible for bringing Gary Kirsten and finalising him? This is why I was pushing them to publish their plan for the cricket team online. If removing Gary was the right decision now, then is anyone going to raise their hand and accept their mistake?” Aseer Malik, General Manager of Pakistan Cricket Board’s High Performance Centre, wrote on X.
Pakistani cricketer Ahmad Shahzad called Kirsten’s resignation “a humiliation for PCB”. Sharing a picture of Kirsten on X, he wrote: “Another day Another Humiliation for PCB Management. Empty promises & lies don’t go well with everyone. We have to stick to our words, if we want to survive in MODERN day cricket!”
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Surprise resignation
Kirsten was appointed by the PCB on a two-year contract in April 2024, but lasted just six months.
Former cricketer Basit Ali, on his YouTube show Picture Abhi Baaki Hai, called it a move that was bound to happen sooner or later.
Referring to him as “chhote badshah salamat”, little prince, Ali said that Kirsten left because he did not want Rizwan as captain. The PCB appointed wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan as the captain and batting all-rounder Agha Salman as vice-captain for the white-ball format on Sunday.
“He thought he had full authority in the team. He doesn’t know that this is a country where the PCB chief is changed in the middle of the night on the basis of a tweet,” Ali said. He also pointed out that PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi wields significant power and anyone who speaks out risks being pushed aside.
Fans too could not hide their disappointment.
“Turn around in test cricket was easy, everyone knew what needed to be done in home tests. To screw over a coach of Gary Kirsten’s calibre for such a short term goal is peak PCB,” one X user wrote.
Kirsten’s resignation was a surprise even to red ball coach Jason Gillespie who after being named as white ball coach said “it wasn’t what I signed up for.”
Reports indicated that the delay in announcing the squad for the Australia tour and new limited-overs captain was due to discussions within the PCB, which were done without informing Kirsten. When Mohammad Rizwan was introduced as captain at a Lahore press conference on Sunday, board chairman Naqvi was flanked only by Aaqib Javed from the new selection committee. Kirsten was not even in the country.
After months of seeking top coaches, the PCB had ultimately chosen Kirsten, viewing it as a “remarkable opportunity” for the players. He leaves without coaching Pakistan in a single ODI.
Former English cricketer Kevin Pietersen too expressed shock at this decision and said that Pakistan took “one step forward the last few weeks and two steps back today”.
“How can Pakistan Cricket lose Gary Kirsten with his resumè in coaching? One step forward the last few weeks and two steps back today! Stop doing it to yourselves. Too much talent to keep doing this kind of stuff!” he wrote on X.