The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has dismissed reports that Jason Gillespie has been removed as the head coach of the men’s team across formats. The PCB said that Gillespie will stay as the red-ball coach for Pakistan’s two-match Test series against South Africa, scheduled to take place in December-January.
“PCB strongly refutes the story. As announced previously, Jason Gillespie will continue to coach the Pakistan side for the two red-ball matches against South Africa,” the PCB wrote in a statement on Sunday, November 17.
Earlier it was learned that former fast bowler Aqib Javed would replace Gillespie as the head coach of the Pakistan team across all three formats. A PCB source had said that Javed was hesitant to take up the role, but PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi had convinced him.
“The Pakistan squad will fly to Harare straight from Australia after playing their final T20I on Monday, so the new head coach will join them in Zimbabwe,” the source said, as quoted by PTI.
It was also reported that Gillespie had declined PCB’s offer to become Pakistan’s full-time head coach in limited-overs cricket. The former Australian pacer was named as the interim coach for the ODI and T20I series against Australia after Gary Kirsten stepped down from his position.
Back in April, Gillespie was named the head coach for Pakistan in Test cricket on a two-year contract. Under him, Pakistan lost their home Test series against Najmul Hossain Shanto’s Bangladesh, but defeated England 2-1 after initially going 1-0 down in the series.
Pakistan recently beat Australia 2-1 in the three-match ODI series. But they have already lost the three-match T20I series after losing in Brisbane and Sydney. The final T20I of the series is scheduled to take place on November 18 at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart.
Pakistan’s first Test against South Africa starts on Thursday, December 26 at the SuperSport Park in Centurion.
