Former Australian pacer Jason Gillespie is set to be sacked by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), with current national selector Aaqib Javed likely to replace him as the new head coach in all formats.
According to a report published in ESPNCricinfo, the announcement for the same is expected on Monday (November 18) after Pakistan’s final T20I fixture against Australia which could mark Gillespie’s last outing with the team.
Gillespie’s time as head coach has been short and eventful. Initially hired as Pakistan's Test coach, he was asked to be the interim coach for the white-ball series in Australia after South Africa’s Gary Kirsten resigned before the tour Down Under.
PCB reportedly offered Gillespie the position of all-format coach until the Champions Trophy in March 2025. However, this came with no increase in pay despite the added workload. Gillespie declined the offer, leading the PCB to reconsider his role altogether.
A PCB official, however, mentioned another reason for his removal: a lack of time spent in Pakistan. This explanation has surfaced before, with Kirsten’s resignation also attributed to similar concerns. Gillespie, on the other hand, is said to have fulfilled his contractual obligations and even went beyond them by managing the Shaheens' tour of Darwin without pay.
Gillespie’s brief stint began with a 2-0 home Test series loss to Bangladesh but the Pakistan made a remarkable turnaround against England. The Shan Masood-led side secured a 2-1 series victory after losing the first Test in Multan.
His time as interim white-ball coach also saw mixed results. While Pakistan defeated Australia 2-1 in the ODI series, the Men in Green have conceded an unassailable 0-2 lead in the three-T20I series.
Aaqib Javed is set to step into the role of head coach, reportedly until the end of the Champions Trophy in February 2025. He has vast coaching experience with the Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and recently served Sri Lanka as the bowling coach. He was also the bowling coach of Pakistan and the head coach of the Under-19 side in the past.
Aaqib will assume duties from the upcoming tour of Zimbabwe. Pakistan will travel to Zimbabwe between November 24 and December 5 for three ODIs and as many T20Is.
