Former Australian fast bowler Jason Gillespie has accused Pakistan’s interim head coach Aaqib Javed of undermining him and former white-ball coach Gary Kirsten during their time with the national team.
Gillespie, who stepped down as Pakistan’s red-ball coach three months ago, alleged that Aaqib worked behind the scenes to secure the coaching role for himself.
Kirsten, who was initially appointed as Pakistan’s white-ball coach, left the role in October 2024, six months into his contract. Following his departure, Gillespie was tasked with managing the white-ball setup, but he too resigned two months later.
Aaqib, who served as chief selector during Gillespie and Kirsten’s tenure, took over as interim head coach after their exits.
However, Pakistan struggled under his leadership, failing to defend the Champions Trophy title and exiting in the group stage. Aaqib later attributed the team’s poor performance to frequent management changes within the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
Responding to Aaqib’s remarks, Gillespie criticized him in an Instagram post, stating, “Aaqib was clearly undermining Gary and me behind the scenes, campaigning to be the coach in all formats. He is a clown.”
It should be noted that Pakistan’s Champions Trophy campaign ended in disappointment, with defeats against New Zealand and India.
Their final match against Bangladesh was abandoned due to rain, resulting in their early exit. The PCB has since decided to revamp the white-ball team in preparation for future international tournaments.
