Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have appointed Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie as head coaches for the senior men’s team.
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In an official statement released today (April 28), the PCB have announced that former South Africa opener and World Cup-winning head coach Gary Kirsten has been appointed as head coach of the Pakistan ODI and T20I sides, while former Australia fast bowler Jason Gillespie has been confirmed as head coach of the Test team.
Azhar Mahmood, who was appointed as the head coach for the five-match T20I series against New Zealand, will serve as the assistant coach across formats going forward.
All these appointments have been made for a two-year period.
Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie bring with them a wealth of coaching experience.
Read more ➡️ https://t.co/2CWCTGDRVN pic.twitter.com/ISo6jGaBFw
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) April 28, 2024
When does Gary Kirsten begin his role as white-ball head coach?
Kirsten will take charge of the Pakistan white-ball setup after the completion of IPL 2024, where he is a member of the coaching staff at Gujarat Titans.
He will be in charge of the Pakistan T20I side for the 2024 T20 World Cup that follows immediately after the IPL, and will also be at the helm during the 2025 Champions Trophy and the 2026 T20 World Cup.
“It’s a tremendous honour to be entrusted with the responsibility of coaching the Pakistan men’s national team in white-ball cricket and to rejoin the international cricket arena after some time. I eagerly anticipate this opportunity and aim to contribute positively to the Pakistan men’s national team in limited-overs cricket,” Kirsten said about his new role.
When does Jason Gillespie start as Pakistan red-ball coach?
Pakistan’s next Test assignment is against Bangladesh at home in August later this year. That series will mark the beginning of Gillespie’s tenure as the Pakistan red-ball head coach.
Following that, Pakistan have another home series scheduled against England, and an away series against South Africa in the 2024-25 season.
This is what Gillespie had to say on being appointed for the role: “I love Test cricket and being able to focus on that is something I like very much. I also love the fact that there is so much talent in Pakistan. I like to think that I can help in some way to grow and develop the players. I want to win Tests – that is why I am taking this role. I love winning and I know we have got the skill to make that happen.”
