Cricket

Pakistan's Coaching Turmoil: Ramiz Raja Expresses Concerns over Hiring International TalentFormer Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja has raised concerns about the challenges Pakistan faces in attracting international coaching talent following the departure of Gary Kirsten as white-ball head coach.Raja's comments come amidst a period of significant upheaval in Pakistan cricket, with Rizwan's appointment as white-ball captain, Kirsten's resignation, and the subsequent hiring of Jason Gillespie as all-format head coach.Speaking to reporters, Raja acknowledged the backlash PCB has faced over Kirsten's resignation. He emphasized the importance of providing clarity to international coaches about their roles and responsibilities."When you search for international coaches, with the kind of backlash that you will probably get from Gary Kirsten's resignation... it's not going to be an easy, straightforward job for Pakistan to hire international talent," Raja said.He added that Kirsten's departure was a setback for Pakistan, as they needed an experienced hand. "It's not great news [Kirsten's departure] because Pakistan needed an experienced hand. From a distance, it doesn't look great just before a tour," Raja said.Kirsten's resignation came just six months into his tenure, without having managed Pakistan in a single ODI match. His primary assignment was the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024, where Pakistan suffered an early exit in the group stage.Raja's concerns highlight the challenges Pakistan faces in attracting and retaining top-quality international coaches. The PCB has faced criticism for its handling of coaching appointments and its lack of clarity in defining roles and responsibilities.As Pakistan prepares for upcoming tours of Australia and Zimbabwe, the PCB will need to address these concerns and find a way to attract and retain the best possible coaching talent to guide the team to success.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to pardon opener Fakhar Zaman for his breach of the players' code of conduct, allowing him to be included in the central contracts and the national white-ball squad.Zaman was dropped from the central contracts list and ignored for the series in Australia and Zimbabwe after he tweeted a controversial comment about captain Babar Azam. The PCB issued a show cause notice, asking Zaman to submit a reply or face disciplinary action.According to a PCB source, Zaman's reply expressed remorse and apology. Internal discussions between PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, selectors, and captain Mohammad Rizwan have been positive for Zaman's reinstatement.The selectors have advised Zaman to focus on rehabilitating his knee injury before the white-ball series in South Africa in December. He is expected to be included in the squad for the South Africa matches and subsequently added to the central contracts list.Rizwan and the selectors believe that Zaman is still a valuable asset for the white-ball squad, especially with the Champions Trophy tournament scheduled to be held in Pakistan early next year.A committee will be formed to accept Zaman's reply to the show cause notice, clearing him for selection. He will undergo a fitness test before the South Africa tour selection.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has revealed that former South African coach Gary Kirsten's departure was due to "breaches" of his contract. Kirsten, who led India to the 2011 World Cup victory, had reportedly resigned after a rift with the PCB over the coaches' diminished role in selection matters.Naqvi clarified that Kirsten had terminated his contract with the PCB, not vice versa. "He (Kirsten) broke his contract with the PCB and made some breaches. He ended the contract with us," Naqvi stated.Sources within the PCB have alleged that Kirsten violated certain contract clauses, including insufficient time spent in Pakistan and his insistence on a foreign coaching staff. Naqvi confirmed that the PCB is actively seeking a new white-ball head coach and has already interviewed several candidates."We will have a new white ball head coach by the end of this month because Jason Gillispie has only agreed to manage the team in Australia for the white ball matches on an interim basis. He is more focused on his role as red ball head coach," Naqvi explained.Regarding the omission of Fakhar Zaman from the Pakistan squads for the Australia and Zimbabwe tours, Naqvi emphasized that the selectors have the authority to make such decisions. Zaman is currently under investigation by the PCB for supporting Babar Azam on social media after being dropped for the England Tests."The issue of the show cause notice will be handled by a special committee of the board while the selectors have authority over selection matters," Naqvi said. He denied any interference in selection matters or advocating for specific players.

Mohammad Rizwan: Pakistan's New Limited-Overs CaptainPakistan's newly appointed limited-overs captain, Mohammad Rizwan, has revealed that he never actively sought the role. Rizwan took over from Babar Azam as Pakistan's white-ball captain following the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) latest leadership announcement. He will lead the team in the upcoming three-match ODI and T20I series against Australia."I never desired or asked for captaincy. If it's granted by Allah, one shouldn't refuse. I never sought captaincy," Rizwan said.He emphasized that his focus as captain will be on developing future leaders for the team. "Regarding the past, everyone had their opinions on this. Even when Saifee was captain, I offered him suggestions, and he did the same for me. Now that I've become captain, all the players will be captains for the team. My focus will be that when I leave cricket, there will be more captain material ready for the team," he added.Pakistan is coming off a 2-1 Test series win at home against England and is set to face Australia in an ODI series starting on November 4, followed by three T20Is. The ODIs will take place in Melbourne, Adelaide, and Perth, while the T20Is will be hosted in Brisbane, Sydney, and Hobart.Reflecting on his new role, Rizwan said, "One of my wishes is to see the Pakistan team in the same kind of atmosphere that we had a couple of years ago. We were all with each other at any stage, whether things were working for us or not. Because of that, a lot of things worked in our favor back then.""The same things are present now also. But the difference is that we have more young talent along with seniors, and we wish that we all as a team gel together. It's a bit difficult when the seniors are playing and when the young lot comes and takes time to understand things. I guess during the Australia series, we will regain the same momentum that we had earlier," he added.Rizwan's appointment as captain has been met with mixed reactions. Some believe that he is the right man for the job, while others question his leadership abilities. However, Rizwan is determined to prove his critics wrong and lead Pakistan to success in the upcoming series against Australia.

Pakistan's newly appointed white-ball captain, Muhammad Rizwan, has acquiesced to the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) revised selection policy, which eliminates his voting privileges in the selection of touring squads and playing elevens. This decision comes after initial hesitation from Rizwan.According to a source within the PCB, Rizwan agreed to the new system after discussions with PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and senior selector Aaqib Javed. Under this system, Rizwan's input in the selection process will be purely advisory.The PCB's new selection policy was implemented following Pakistan's humiliating defeat against England in the first Test in Multan. The board appointed three new selectors – Aaqib, Azhar Ali, and Aleem Dar – and granted them sweeping powers to select teams without the consent of the captain or head coach.Pakistan's white-ball head coach, Gary Kirsten, resigned on Monday due to his disagreement with the new selection process and other issues with the PCB.The PCB has assured Rizwan that he will be consulted in finalizing teams, but the ultimate decision will rest with the five selectors. The selection committee is now responsible for selecting touring squads and playing elevens.To ensure effective communication, the PCB is sending national selector Asad Shafiq with the team to Australia for the white-ball matches. Shafiq will consult with the other selectors in Pakistan to select the playing eleven.

England's recent 2-1 Test series defeat to Pakistan has exposed a glaring weakness in their batting lineup against spin bowling. Former England cricketer Geoffrey Boycott has labeled the team "flat track bullies," criticizing their inability to adjust to challenging conditions.After winning the first Test in Multan, England lost the second and third Tests, with all 40 of their wickets falling to spinners. Sajid Khan and Noman Ali combined for a staggering 39 wickets, highlighting the English batters' vulnerability against spin.Boycott has sharply criticized the England batting, particularly their aggressive "Bazball" approach implemented by coach Brendon McCullum. He argues that this approach is ill-suited for spinning pitches, which demand a more nuanced and adaptable batting style."England are flat-track bullies on good batting pitches... spinning pitches demand adjustments," Boycott wrote in his column for The Telegraph UK.He pointed to the example of Harry Brook, who scored a triple century in the first Test but struggled against spin in subsequent innings. "A perfect example is Brook. He scored a brilliant 317 in the first Test and in the next four innings he was naive with no idea against spin and totalled 56 runs," Boycott wrote.After piling up 823 runs in the first Test, England failed to cross 300 again in any innings of the second and third Tests. In the second innings of both the final two Tests, England collapsed for a total of under 150 (144 and 112).Boycott expressed concern that these results will be forgotten as England will not tour the subcontinent again on spinning pitches for nearly three years. "The saddest thing is that England do not play in India or Pakistan again on spinning pitches for nearly three years, so our players will quickly be back to being praised by some supporters as the best batsmen England have ever had. All I say to that is you must be kidding," Boycott wrote.England's series defeat has left them 6th in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle table, significantly reducing their chances of making the WTC final.

Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen has expressed his disappointment over the departure of Gary Kirsten as Pakistan's white-ball coach. Kirsten's tenure lasted only seven months, having joined in April 2024 ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024.Pietersen criticized Pakistan cricket for the decision to part ways with Kirsten, calling it "one step forward, two steps back." Kirsten has a successful coaching career, having won the 2011 Cricket World Cup as head coach of India.Despite Pakistan's 2-1 Test series victory over England, Kirsten's exit has created uncertainty in the team's white-ball setup. Pietersen questioned the decision on social media, stating that Pakistan has "too much talent to keep doing this kind of stuff."Kirsten's tenure as Pakistan's white-ball coach was marked by a disappointing group stage exit at the T20 World Cup 2024. Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali suggested that Kirsten's disagreement with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) over key decisions, including the appointment of Mohammad Rizwan as white-ball captain, contributed to his departure.Pakistan has appointed Test head coach Jason Gillespie as the interim white-ball coach for the upcoming ODI series against Australia. Aaqib Javed and Saqlain Mushtaq are potential candidates for the permanent role.

Pakistan cricket has been thrown into turmoil once again following the abrupt resignation of head coach Gary Kirsten. The former World Cup-winning coach departed just six months into a two-year contract, leaving the team without a permanent coach on the eve of their white-ball tour of Australia.Kirsten's departure has raised concerns about Pakistan's ability to attract high-profile international coaching candidates in the future. Former PCB chairman Ramiz Raja believes the hasty nature of Kirsten's exit could deter prospective coaches from considering the role."When you search for international coaches, with the kind of backlash that you will probably get from Gary Kirsten's resignation...it's not going to be an easy, straightforward job for Pakistan to hire international talent," Raja said.The PCB has faced criticism for its handling of the coaching situation. Kirsten and Jason Gillespie, Pakistan's Test coach, were stripped of their selection powers after the team's first Test defeat against England. This decision reportedly led to a rift between the coaches and the board.Gillespie, who will take over as interim white-ball coach for the Australia tour, has also expressed dissatisfaction with the recent changes. A new selection panel, including umpire Aleem Dar, has been formed, raising questions about the board's decision-making process."I don't know about an umpire being a selector, so the jury is still out," Raja said. "I still believe there's a strong role for a leader in cricket. You can't run cricket from the sidelines."Pakistan will arrive in Australia with a new white-ball coach and captain. Mohammad Rizwan has taken over the captaincy from Babar Azam, who recently resigned. Rizwan will lead a relatively inexperienced squad against a formidable Australian team."He's got his chance and what he needs to do is to stamp his authority and maybe get the players that he wants," Raja said of Rizwan. "Right now, there's a little bit of hodgepodge where the selection committee is nominating the playing XI."Raja called for "quiet and calm" within Pakistan cricket, emphasizing the importance of a stable environment for the team's success."I think it's important for all the stakeholders to understand the value of a non-controversial start to what appears to be an extremely heavyweight calendar," he said.

Pakistan cricket is navigating a period of upheaval, marked by coaching departures, leadership changes, and player dynamics. Amidst this turmoil, former captain Babar Azam has emerged as a beacon of hope, receiving a warm welcome upon his arrival in Australia for the upcoming white-ball series.Despite a recent dip in form, fans eagerly awaited Azam's arrival at the airport, eager to take selfies and offer words of encouragement. The viral video of his reception underscores his enduring popularity.Azam returns to international cricket after being rested for the final two Tests against England. Relieved of the captaincy burden, he can now focus solely on his batting. He will feature in three ODIs and three T20Is against Australia before sitting out the Zimbabwe series to prepare for future challenges.Off the field, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is grappling with turbulence following Gary Kirsten's abrupt resignation as white-ball coach. Kirsten, who signed a two-year deal in April, departed after just six months, citing internal disagreements. The PCB's decision to remove voting powers from coaches in team selection reportedly contributed to the friction.With Kirsten's departure, Test coach Jason Gillespie will guide the team on the Australia tour. Pakistan will begin training in Melbourne on November 1, with the first ODI scheduled for November 4.As the squad seeks stability under new captain Mohammad Rizwan, all eyes will be on Babar Azam to rediscover his form and anchor the team through these crucial matches. His batting prowess and leadership qualities will be vital as Pakistan navigates this challenging period.