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PCB In Turmoil, Jason Gillespie Quits As Red-Ball Coach Ahead Of South Africa Series

Anurag Dasgupta

Gillespie resigns [Source: @CallMeSheri1/X.Com]Gillespie resigns [Source: @CallMeSheri1/X.Com]

Nothing is going right in Pakistan cricket at the moment as another head coach has decided to part ways with PCB. Jason Gillespie, who was appointed as the red-ball head coach stepped down from his post on Thursday, citing difference in though process with the board.

Just a month back, the white-ball head coach, Gary Kirsten quit the coaching post and he, too, had similar issues with the board. Gillespie's resignation came as a massive blow for Pakistan cricket as the team is set to play a two-match Test series Vs South Africa, starting December 26.

It is believed that for months, Gillespie had a strained relation with Pakistan cricket and he refused to board his 6 AM flight to South Africa on Friday morning. After his resignation, PCB acted quickly and appointed Aaqib Javed as the interim head coach for the South Africa Tests.

Javed, was already made the white-ball coach after Kirsten departed, and now the former cricketer will overseee coaching duties in both white and red-ball formats.

"The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has named Aqib Javed as interim red-ball head coach of the Pakistan men’s cricket team following the resignation of red-ball head-coach Jason Gillespie," PCB's statement read.

What led to Gillespie's departure?

Both Kirsten and Gillespie were appointed in April, this year and there was a sense of optimism when the duo took charge. However, things quickly turned ugly when there was a lack of communication between PCB and the head coaches.

Last month, PCB also made a strange decision that the head coaches won't have any say in the squad selection process and this infuriated Kirsten who left immediately.

Gillespie's breaking point came when PCB decided against renewing high-performance red-ball coach Tim Nielsen's contract. Gillespie felt that he should have been consulted on the matter and he felt offeneded which led to his drastic decision.