Pakistan cricket team’s white-ball coach Gary Kirsten steps down from role in just six months

Hyderabad: Pakistan cricket team’s white-ball coach Gary Kirsten has stepped down from his role after a rift with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

According to reports, Kirsten was not happy with the way the PCB stripped the head coaches, including red-ball coach Jason Gillespie, of a say in the selection committee.

The former South African felt the authority to select Pakistan’s team should also include the head coaches but the PCB vested the powers solely to the revamped selection committee.

Kirsten now steps down after six months in the role and the team has not played even a single ODI under Kirsten’s coaching. The former South African opener had notably coached India to an ODI World Cup triumph in 2011. He, however, coached the team in the T20 format, including the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 in the USA and the West Indies in June, where Pakistan suffered a first-round exit.

The 56-year-old was appointed in April this year and Pakistan are scheduled to play three ODIs and three T20s against Australia, in Australia, from November 4, 2024.

The PCB announced Mohammad Rizwan as the captain for the Australia white-ball series and batting all-rounder Agha Salman as Rizwan’s deputy and the appointments were made without Kirsten’s inputs.

The head coach was keen on having his inputs taken into consideration but with the PCB acting otherwise, the former South African decided to quit from his role after having ‘animated discussions’ with the board officials.

Kirsten is expected to issue a statement later in the day. The former Proteas batter was appointed as the batting coach of Indian Premier League franchise Gujarat Titans before he quit that position to take up the head coach role with Pakistan.

With the next season of the IPL approaching, Kirsten could land another role in the glitzy league.