The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) took a major step on Sunday as they announced the appointment of World Cup winner Gary Kirsten as their head coach for ODIs and T20Is, while former Australian pacer Jason Gillespie will take over that role in Test cricket. Kirsten has previously had successful stints in India and South Africa, with his OD World Cup win in 2011 with the MS Dhoni-led side perhaps being the highlight. Along with them, former Pakistan all-rounder Azhar Mahmood was appointed as the team's assistant coach across all formats.
Speaking about his decision to coach the Pakistan team, Kirsten said his main goal remains unifying the Pakistan white-ball team.
“It is a tremendous honor to be given the responsibility of coaching the Pakistan National Men's Team in white ball cricket and to be part of the international cricket arena again after some time. I am eagerly looking forward to this opportunity and aim to make a positive contribution to deliver to the Pakistan Men's National Team in limited-overs cricket, Kirsten's strategy focuses on prioritizing continuity in team selections, with the aim of creating a stable and consistent environment in which players can perform at their best. He believes that maintaining a cohesive unity and building strong team dynamics are essential for team success in international competitions.
“One of the beautiful aspects of cricket is its universality. Across cultures, there is a shared understanding when we discuss the game. My aim is to unite the Pakistani white-ball team, harness their considerable talents for a common purpose and achieve success . together on the field,” he says.
Kirsten, who is currently the mentor of IPL side Gujarat Titans, is expected to take over Pakistan's tour of England from May 22.
Pakistan will play four T20Is and from there the team will travel to the T20 World Cup in June.
Pakistan has been looking for a full-time head coach since the end of the 50-over World Cup last year, with the country failing to reach the knockout stages.
After their shabby efforts in the big event in India, Pakistan had sacked the entire coaching staff – head coach Grant Bradburn, team director Mickey Arthur, bowling coach Morne Morkel and batting coach Andrew Puttick.
Premier batsman Babar Azam was also removed from the captaincy after the ICC showpiece, with Pakistan opting to appoint pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi as their white-ball leader and Shan Masood handling the role in Tests.
Besides, Pakistan had also turned to former cricketer Muhammad Hafeez for the leading role during their tour to Australia.
But Hafeez lost the job after Pakistan lost 0-3 in the Test series and 1-4 in the T20Is.
While Masood was retained as Test captain, Afridi was relieved of his leadership and Babar was reinstated in the last week of March.
However, Pakistan could not find a full-time head coach despite approaching some top names such as Matthew Hayden and Shane Watson.
Ultimately, they focused on Kirsten, who had led India to World Cup victory in 2011, and Gillespie, who has a wealth of coaching experience at Sussex side.
With PTI inputs
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