The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced a major revamp of their coaching staff on Sunday (April 28), appointing two World Cup-winning figures to lead their men’s national team in different formats. Former India head coach Gary Kirsten has been roped in to spearhead Pakistan’s white-ball cricket, while Australian pace legend Jason Gillespie will oversee the Test side.
This decision comes with high expectations, given both coaches’ illustrious careers. Kirsten, credited with guiding India to their second World Cup title in 2011, brings a wealth of experience. He has also coached South Africa’s national team previously. Apart from this, he has coached various franchise outfits, including currently acting as a batting coach for the Gujarat Titans (GT) in IPL 2024. Meanwhile, Gillespie’s expertise in red-ball cricket is undeniable. The fiery pacer played 71 Tests for Australia.
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Azhar Mahmood is now Pakistan’s assistant coach
Apart from this, the management even revealed that Azhar Mahmood, who acted as interim coach during the recent New Zealand T20I series, will be retained as the assistant coach across all formats. Mahmood, a former Pakistan all-rounder, previously served as the team’s bowling coach (2016-2019) and brings valuable experience to the table.
The contracts of all three newly named coaches will run for a two-year period. The announcements were made by PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi at a press conference in Lahore. “Their stellar track records precede them. And I warmly welcome them to the Pakistan cricket family,” Naqvi said of Kirsten and Gillespie. “Jason’s coaching career has been marked by success both at the domestic and international levels, with a focus on player development and achieving excellence in team performance. Gary’s coaching career has been marked by his ability to instill a winning mentality, develop young talent, and achieve success at the highest levels of the game, making him one of the most respected and sought-after coaches in cricket.”
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