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Former South Africa Cricketter, Gary Kirsten, has opened on the decision to leave as the main coach of Pakistan’s white ball. Kirsten revealed that lack of influence and internal conflicts within Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) were key reasons for premature departure as white ball coach.
Gary Kirsten was appointed Pakistan White Ball Coach in April 2024, while Jason Gillespie was signed by the test. However, Kirsten resigned only six months later. He made his decision after the Pakistan teams were announced for the Hate and T20I visits last year in Australia and Zimbabwe.
It was a few tumultuous months: Gary Kirsten
Gary Kirsten revealed that his retirement from the selection box reduced his influence within the team. Speaking to Wisden, Kirsten admitted that he quickly realized that he would not have the necessary authority to impact. Kirsten and Jason Gillespie were excluded from the new selection box.
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“It was a few months tumultuous. I realized quite quickly that I would not have much influence. Once I was taken out of the selection and I asked to take a team and could not shape the team, it was very difficult as a coach and then having any positive influence in the group,” said Kirsten.
Jason Gillespie resigned as Pakistan’s test coach ahead of the South -Africa Testing series in December. Gillespie, who had brought Australia to a victory in the hate series, cited PCB’s decision to eliminate high -performance coach Tim Nielsen as a key motive for his departure.
Would like to go to the players: Gary Kirsten
However, Gary Kirsten stated that he is ready to return as a coach of Pakistan in the future, but only if the conditions are correct. Kirsten said that the “influential noise” had made it difficult for him to be effective during his previous career.
“If I was invited again to Pakistan tomorrow, I would go there, but I would like to go for the players and I would like to go in the right circumstances,” he said.
“Cricket teams need to be led by Cricket people. When this does not happen and when there is a lot of noise from the outside, it is a very influential noise, it is very difficult for the team leaders to go through a journey you feel as if you need to walk to take this team to where you have to go.”
I am too old now to treat -me with other agendas: Gary Kirsten
Kirsten stated that he only wants to focus on training and work closely with players, free of external complications. He described the template of Pakistan as talented and genuine individuals. He also stated that few teams experience the same level of scrutiny after defeats.
“Now I’m too old to treat -with other agendas, I just want to train a cricket team, work with players; I love Pakistan players, they are big boys. I had a very short period of time and I feel for them. More than any other team in the world, they feel the pressure of performance in a massive way, when they lose their lives for them and feel it,” said Kirsten.
Following Kirsten’s departure, Aaqib Javed served as the main coach of the interim white ball of Pakistan. He has been replaced by Mike Hesson of New Zealand, who has been in charge of the white ball formats of the Bangladesh series. In the meantime, Pakistan still does not have to designate a main coach for his test team.
