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Ramiz Raja Addresses Gary Kirsten’s Premature Exit As Pakistan Coach Before Champions Trophy 2025

Ramiz Raja and Gary Kirsten [Source: @Johns, @dhillow_/x]Ramiz Raja and Gary Kirsten [Source: @Johns, @dhillow_/x]

Former PCB chairman Ramiz Raja believes Gary Kirsten’s premature exit as white-ball head coach will likely impact Pakistan cricket in the long term. Kirsten stepped down as Pakistan coach on October 28, i.e., just six months after getting appointed to the role.

The former Proteas batter was originally roped in by the PCB for a period of two years. Kirsten’s resignation came as a huge setback for the Pakistan cricket team, at a time when they were bracing themselves for the 2025 Champions Trophy at home.

Ramiz Raja reveals potential impact of Kirsten’s exit

Mere days prior to Pakistan’s white-ball tour of Australia, Gary Kirsten stepped down as head coach of the ‘Men in Green’. As per reports, the former South African batter and 2011 World Cup winning coach left his post over difference of opinion with the Pakistan team management regarding the selection process.

Addressing the backlash Pakistan cricket has been receiving by fans and cricket experts post Kirsten’s premature exit, Ramiz Raja believes that it will likely become a difficult task for the PCB to hire international coaching talent for the men’s national team going ahead. Raja also emphasised the importance of giving ‘role clarity’ to coaches on part of the cricket board and the team management.

While speaking with the reporters, Ramiz Raja said:

“When you search for international coaches, with the kind of backlash that you will probably get from Gary Kirsten's resignation... it's not going to be an easy, straightforward job for Pakistan to hire international talent. What you need to do is to make sure that once you involve and engage somebody, you've got to give them clarity regarding the role. I don't know whether that clarity was given to Gary Kirsten on how he wanted to get Pakistan into this one-day phase or what he wanted to achieve. I'm not privy to that.”

The PCB has now appointed former Australian fast bowler and Pakistan’s Test coach Jason Gillespie as a temporary white-ball head coach of the ‘Men in Green’. Under the leadership of newly-appointed skipper Mohammad Rizwan, the Pakistan team will play a series of three ODIs and three T20I matches in Australia between November 4 and November 18.

Jason Gillespie’s Test regime recently led the Pakistan team to a drought-ending series win over England at home. It remains to be seen if Gillespie will continue to helm Pakistan’s white-ball team until next year’s 2025 Champions Trophy.