Gary Kirsten’s tenure as the white-ball coach for Pakistan’s men’s cricket team has come to an unexpected end just six months after his appointment. Officially announced in April 2023, Kirsten was selected for a two-year term, transferring the coaching responsibilities with Jason Gillespie, the newly appointed head coach for Test cricket.

This marked a significant shift in Pakistan’s coaching approach, as it was the first time the board opted for split coaching roles. The decision was made following a disappointing performance in the ODI World Cup last year, culminating in the exit of former head coach Grant Bradburn.

Kirsten’s initial challenge was to lead Pakistan in the highly anticipated 2024 T20 World Cup. Unfortunately, the team was unable to make a significant impact, suffering a group-stage exit after losses to both India and the tournament hosts, the USA.

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The results not only highlighted the difficulties faced by the team but also rendered Kirsten’s role as ODI coach redundant, as he did not have the opportunity to oversee a single ODI match during his brief period in charge.

In light of Kirsten’s departure, the Pakistan Cricket Board has confirmed that Gillespie will assume the role of interim head coach for the upcoming white-ball tour of Australia, which is set to commence on November 4. This shakeup continues the trend of instability in Pakistan’s coaching landscape.

Historically, Pakistan’s coaching position has seen a rapid turnover, with few coaches managing to maintain long-term roles. One notable exception is Intikhab Alam, who first became team manager in 1982 and went on to hold the position for over a decade. He served as head coach during Pakistan’s iconic World Cup victory in 1992 and returned in 2008 in a more formal coaching capacity.

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Pakistan cricket

Another significant figure was Mickey Arthur, who led the team from May 2016 to August 2019, achieving notable success, including the triumph at the 2017 Champions Trophy. Under his direction, Pakistan climbed to the top of both the T20I and Test rankings. He returned in 2023 as the director of cricket but was later dismissed following a lackluster ODI World Cup performance.

Head Coaches list for Pakistan team over the years:

1. Intikhab Alam (1994; 2008-10)

2. Mushtaq Mohammad (1995-96; 1999)

3. Haroon Rasheed (1996-98)

4. Javed Miandad (1998-99; 2000-01; 2003-04)

5. Wasim Raja (Interim, 1999)

6. Richard Pybus (Interim, 1999; 2001; 2002-03)

7. Mudassar Nazar (2001-02)

8. Bob Woolmer (2004-07)

9. Geoff Lawson (2007-08)

10. Mohsin Khan (Interim, 2011-12)

11. Dav Whatmore (2012-14)

12. Moin Khan (Interim, 2014)

13. Waqar Younis (2010-11; 2014-16)

14. Mickey Arthur (2016-19)

15. Misbah-ul-Haq (2019-21)

16. Saqlain Mushtaq (2021-23)

17. Abdul Rehman (Interim, 2023)

18. Grant Bradburn (2023)

19. Mohammad Hafeez (2023-24)

20. Azhar Mahmood (Interim, 2024)

21. Jason Gillespie (Tests, 2024-Present)

This ongoing transformation in the coaching staff underlines the challenges faced by the Pakistan cricket team as they strive for consistency and performance on the international stage.

By Ritik Sharma

A common man who is doing calm se kaam, a failed cricketer, still in love with it. Establishing my journey into Journalism & if you love my articles then share it with your dear ones Instagram - @ritiksharma45

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