Both Jason Gillespie and Gary Kirsten did not last a year in their roles as Pakistan head coach in the red-ball and white-ball formats respectively. However, while Kirsten has remained tight-lipped since his exit, Gillespie has not held himself back from slamming the board as well as individuals such as current interim coach Aaqib Javed. read more Former Australia pacer Jason Gillespie had endured a tough eight-month run as Pakistan red-ball coach, during which the Shan Masood-led side suffered a historic 0-2 whitewash against Bangladesh at home among other low moments. AP Pakistani cricket is rarely devoid of drama, and over the course of the last one-and-a-half-years, it’s been an absolute circus. From the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board to captain of the men’s senior team and the appointment of its head coaches and other senior members of the support staff, it’s been a game of musical chairs all along. The Pakistan cricket team has witnessed as much turbulence on the captaincy front since their underwhelming campaign in the 2023 ICC World Cup in India as it has when it comes to the head coaches. Advertisement And after parting ways with Grant Bradburn and Mickey Arthur in November 2023, with Mohammad Hafeez and Azhar Mahmood filling in on a temporary basis during this period, the PCB appointed Jason Gillespie and Gary Kirsten as head coaches in the red-ball and white-ball formats respectively. The two signed two-year contracts, and there was some hope of PCB restoring stability in that role. Neither, however, would last a year in their respective jobs. Ex-South African opener Kirsten was the first to put in his papers, announcing his resignation just six months into the role and four months after Pakistan’s disastrous first-round exit in the T20 World Cup. And former Australian pacer Gillespie would follow Kirsten in parting ways Pakistani cricket on a bitter note just two months later, resigning in December right before the team was to face South Africa in a two-Test series. Gillespie’s latest revelation reveals sorry state of affairs in Pakistani cricket While Kirsten, who had a successful three-year run with the MS Dhoni-led Indian team that concluded with the Men in Blue winning the 2011 World Cup, has remained tight-lipped on his six-month stint with their arch-rivals. Gillespie, who had briefly taken charge of the Pakistan white-ball team for their tour of Australia following Kirsten’s resignation, hasn’t held back though. The former Australian pacer, who has 259 Test wickets from 71 appearances to his credit, has openly slammed the PCB as well as individuals such as ex-Pakistan speedster Aaqib Javed. Not only has Gillespie accused the PCB of sidelining him from key decisions including team selection, he has also named Javed as the “clown” responsible for trying to undermine him as well as Kirsten and trying to take their jobs. Gillespie even slammed the PCB over “unpaid wages” recently, although the board refuted those allegations by accusing him of breaching contract terms. Even if the board is on the right side on this topic, they’ll still have a hard time justifying why both Kirsten and Gillespie left abruptly in a span of two months. Advertisement The fact that the Mohsin Naqvi-led PCB eventually appointed Javed as head coach across formats further adds weight to Gillespie’s claim against the ex-pacer. Javed had served in the role until the end of the ICC Champions Trophy, in which the Men in Green bowed out in the first round after failing to win a single game, and his contract was extended until the end of the white-ball tour of New Zealand, where they lost seven out of eight matches. PCB currently on the lookout for another full-time hire, having put out an advertisement for the role already which brings the curtains down on Javed’s underwhelming run for now. Finding a good long-term coach, especially someone from outside Pakistan, however, might be easier said than done for the PCB given recent events. Gillespie’s comments since his exit, after all, will be fresh on the minds of those who will be applying for the role. As will be testimonials by Arthur and other former Pakistan coaches who haven’t had too many flattering things to say when it comes to describing what is one of the most challenging jobs in the cricketing world. Advertisement