Former head coach Gary Kirsten has said that what surprised him most during his role as Pakistan coach was the way the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) interfered in the team’s affairs, which ultimately led to his resignation within months.
Kirsten has resigned as head coach of Pakistan’s ODI and T20 teams with immediate effect.
Appointed by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on a two-year contract in April 2024, he remained in the position for just six months before resigning a week before Pakistan’s ODI series in Australia.
The Pakistan Cricket Board confirmed that then-Test coach Jason Gillespie would replace Kirsten on the Australian tour and that he would oversee the six-match tour of Australia, but he also stepped down a few months later.
βThe thing that surprised me the most was the level of interference. I donβt think Iβve ever seen it at that level. Did it surprise me? I donβt know, but it was significant,β Kirsten told talkSPORT Cricket.
βItβs quite difficult for a coach to work with the players when thereβs constant noise from the outside. Itβs difficult,β Kirsten said.
βAs a coach, you get into trouble when things arenβt going well within the team. Weβll either sack the coach or put a limit on the coach. Itβs easy to do that when teams are doing well, but itβs not productive in a way from my point of view,β Kirsten added.
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