The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, has shed light on the resignation of former Test coach Jason Gillespie, emphasizing the clear separation of responsibilities within team management.
Speaking about the matter, Naqvi was quoted as saying, by Geo.tv, “The head coach’s role is to coach the team, while the selection committee is supposed to select players.”
Gillespie, the 49-year-old former Australian fast bowler, resigned last week, citing frustrations over poor communication and his diminished role.
Appointed in April on a two-year deal, Gillespie’s tenure faced immediate challenges, including a series defeat to Bangladesh and an innings loss to England in Multan. Following these setbacks, the PCB made significant changes, including removing Gillespie from the selection panel and dropping key players like Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Naseem Shah.
While Pakistan rebounded to secure a 2-1 series win against England, Gillespie expressed dissatisfaction with his limited involvement in team decisions, particularly regarding the dismissal of performance coach Tim Nielsen. This lack of communication, he said, left him questioning his role within the setup.
The PCB accepted Gillespie’s resignation, marking the second high-profile coaching exit in recent months after Gary Kirsten stepped down as white-ball coach due to differences with selectors. With these departures, Pakistan has now cycled through seven coaches across formats in the last three years, raising concerns about stability within the team’s management.
Naqvi’s remarks signal the PCB’s effort to clarify and reinforce boundaries between coaching and selection responsibilities, but the recent turmoil highlights the challenges of maintaining consistency in the national team’s leadership structure.