Cricket

Pakistan Appoints Jason Gillespie as Test Coach, Gary Kirsten as White-Ball CoachPakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has appointed former Australian fast bowler Jason Gillespie as the new Test coach and former South African batter Gary Kirsten as the white-ball coach. Azhar Mahmood, who served as the interim assistant coach for the New Zealand series, will continue in that role across all formats.The position of head coach had been vacant since Grant Bradburn, who succeeded Saqlain Mushtaq last year, resigned in January to join Glamorgan as head coach. The PCB had considered several high-profile candidates, including Shane Watson, but he withdrew from the running.Gillespie, 52, is a highly respected figure in the cricketing world. He played 71 Tests and 97 ODIs for Australia, taking 408 and 142 wickets respectively. After retiring from playing, he coached Yorkshire and Sussex in England, and most recently served as the head coach of the Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash League.Kirsten, 55, is another renowned coach. He led India to the 2011 Cricket World Cup title and South Africa to the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy. He has also coached the Delhi Daredevils and Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League.The appointments of Gillespie and Kirsten are seen as a significant step forward for Pakistan cricket. The team has struggled in recent years, but the new coaches are expected to bring a wealth of experience and expertise to help them improve their performances.PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja expressed his confidence in the new coaching team. "We are delighted to welcome Jason Gillespie and Gary Kirsten to the Pakistan cricket family," he said. "They are both world-class coaches with a proven track record of success. We believe they will help our team reach new heights."Gillespie and Kirsten are expected to join the Pakistan team in time for their upcoming Test series against England, which begins on July 16.

Lahore, Pakistan - The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is set to announce a new set of coaches for the national team by the end of this month, covering both red and white ball formats. The board has received applications from several reputed coaches, including South Africa's Gary Kirsten and Australia's Jason Gillespie.The PCB has emphasized that the appointments will be made through a due process, with all commitments being met. The last time the board followed this process was in 2019, when Misbah-ul-Haq was named head coach and chief selector. Since then, appointments have been made on a consultancy or interim basis.This time, the PCB will only invite candidates who have applied for the coaching positions. Even Kirsten and Gillespie, who have been in direct negotiations with the board, were asked to apply through the due process.The PCB has also set April 20 as the deadline for candidates interested in applying for assistant coach positions. Azhar Mahmood, who was recently named head coach for the New Zealand series on a consultancy basis, will also have to go through the process.The PCB chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, has made it clear that the long-term appointments of coaches will be done through a due process. The board is expected to take time until the end of the month to reach a decision and make an announcement.