LAHORE: Gary Kirsten’s resignation as Pakistan’s white-ball head coach just seven months into his job on Monday came as a result of the country’s cricket board’s failure to take him in confidence over the national side’s selection for the upcoming tours of Australia and Zimbabwe, sources told Dawn.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) made Kirsten’s decision public a day after announcing the squads for the said tours, adding that Test head coach Jason Gillespie will take charge of the side only for the Australia visit. The short statement released by the board offered no reason for Kirsten’s departure.

According to sources, Kirsten was neither consulted nor given any role in the selection of the Pakistan squad for the tours — both of which will see the side play three One-day Internationals and as many T20Is — prompting the South African to quit.

Kirsten’s resignation seemingly came as a surprise even for the PCB, which had said in a statement on Sunday that the now-former head coach would join the Pakistan squad in Melbourne on Monday.

Dawn understands that the ex-Proteas batter was totally ignored by the selection committee, which was recently revamped as former Test players Aaqib Javed and Azhar Ali and retired international umpire Aleem Dar added to it.

The inclusions were followed by reducing the committee to just five members, ripping voting rights off the head coaches and captains, effectively denying coaches any role in selection.

While Gillespie had publically expressed his concerns over being limited to a “match-day strategist” during Pakistan’s recently concluded Test series against England, there was no reaction from Kirsten until Monday.

Sources said Kirsten decided to step down rather than lodging protest against the PCB and its selectors treatment towards him.

The former India head coach was appointed in the Pakistan role on April 28 this year, with June’s T20 World Cup in the United States his first assignment — which saw the national side register a shock defeat against the co-hosts before failing to make it to the second round.

Meanwhile, a source within the PCB claimed it was Kirsten’s reluctance to stay in Pakistan and conduct training camps that developed differences between the board and the South African.

According to the source, Kirsten was also taken aback by the PCB’s refusal to accommodate the head coach’s demands of hiring certain personnel as support staff.

In the past two years, Pakistan has cycled through several coaches, three board heads, four captains and numerous formats of its domestic competition.

‘AAQIB, SAQLAIN LIKELY REPLACEMENTS’

With Pakistan set to kick off their Australian tour as early as November 4, the PCB is already looking for Kirsten’s successor.

The Press Trust of India (PTI) news agency reported on Monday that Aaqib or former spinner Saqlain Mushtaq — who is currently contracted by the PCB as mentor of domestic side Panthers — may take up the role as the national side’s white-ball head coach.

“The situation now is that the PCB has to appoint a new white ball coach given the number of white ball commitments of the national team coming up and leading up to the Champions Trophy early next year,” PTI quoted a source as saying.

“One option is to let assistant coach Azhar Mahmood continue as interim head coach but Aaqib or Saqlain could also land the job.”

The source did say they are some other candidates under consideration and the board chairman Mohsin Naqvi would soon carry out talks with shortlisted candidates.

According to PTI, selector Asad will be travelling to Australia with the national squad while Azhar will be with the team in Zimbabwe.

Until recently, the PCB had a policy where the national selectors picked the touring squad, whereas the playing XI was finalised on tours by the skipper, coach and vice-captain.

Following the crushing defeat to England during the Multan Test this month, the PCB changed its policy before revamping the selection committee, which now has the powers to pick even the playing XI.

“That is why the board will send Asad to Australia so that he will be with the team for all the matches and will have the final say in selection matters after consulting his fellow selectors in Pakistan,” a source stated to PTI, adding that Azhar will do a similar job in Zimbabwe.

Published in Dawn, October 29th, 2024