Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja fears that Pakistan cricket will face the repercussions of Gary Kirsten’s resignation. Raja has been very vocal in his criticism of the PCB and feels that international coaches would not hesitate to work with the Pakistan cricket team in the future.
Gary Kirsten leaving to hurt Pakistan
Kirsten is a very well-respected coach and has found high-profile jobs all over the world. From helping India win an ICC trophy after 28 years to helping the Gujarat Titans win an IPL trophy on their first try, Kirsten’s done it all. Ramiz feels seeing someone of his stature quit after completing just 1/4 of his original contract would discourage others from working with Pakistan.
“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,” Ramiz told reporters in a media interaction ahead of the Australia tour.
PCB changes terms midway
At the start, Kirsten was given considerable power. However, as time passed, restrictions were put on him. The final straw came a few weeks ago when the PCB stripped him of having a say in team or captain selection. The South African who was originally part of the selection committee was removed, and he left the job, claiming it wasn’t what he signed up for at the start.
“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 or how he wanted to get Pakistan into this one-day phase, what he wanted to achieve. I’m not privy to that. It’s not great news because Pakistan needed an experienced hand. From a distance, it doesn’t look great just before a tour,” he added.
