Former Australia fast bowler Jason Gillespie has hit back at Aaqib Javed, calling the Pakistan cricket team’s interim coach "a clown" for his remarks on the country's frequent changes in coaching staff.
Gillespie, a former Pakistan coach, also slammed Javed for “undermining” him and Gary Kirsten to secure a long-term coaching role.
Aaqib had blamed the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) constant reshuffling of management for the team’s poor showing at the Champions Trophy, where they crashed out in the group stage.
During a media conference on Tuesday, where Salman Ali Agha was named Pakistan’s new T20I captain, Aaqib lamented the lack of stability in the system.
“Pakistan have changed 16 coaches and 26 selectors in two years. Any team would struggle under such circumstances,” he said.
Aaqib also highlighted Pakistan’s struggles in adapting to longer formats, pointing out that most players prioritised T20 leagues over domestic four-day cricket. “If you play 70 per cent T20 cricket and skip red-ball games, you can never be fully prepared for Tests or ODIs,” he said.
“If we want to move forward, we need consistency in policies, from the PCB chairman to the players.”
Aaqib also criticised the squad’s approach, stating that some players needed to reflect on their performances rather than blaming external factors.
Responding to Aaqib’s comments, Gillespie accused him of conspiring to take over the coaching role.
“This is hilarious. Aaqib was clearly undermining Gary [Kirsten] and me behind the scenes, campaigning to be the coach in all formats. He is a clown,” Gillespie wrote on Instagram.
Reflecting on his time as Pakistan’s head coach, Gillespie admitted he always suspected backroom manoeuvring within the team’s management.
"We saw the results, and they were simply not good enough. Ultimately, Aaqib has to take responsibility. He wanted complete control, and he got it," Gillespie told Pakistani cricket content creator Saj Sadiq. He also pointed fingers at the national selectors, stating that they too were accountable for the squad chosen for the tournament.
"I always felt there were things happening behind the scenes that I wasn’t aware of. So, it didn’t come as a surprise when Aaqib was named interim coach," he said. "In my opinion, his appointment was always on the cards. You can interpret that as you wish."
Pakistan cricket’s coach problems
Pakistan’s coaching setup has been in turmoil since their disappointing 2023 ODI World Cup campaign. Mickey Arthur was replaced by Mohammad Hafeez, who was removed before the T20 World Cup.
Gary Kirsten and Gillespie were then brought in, but neither lasted long. Kirsten left before coaching a single ODI due to disagreements with the PCB over team selection, while Gillespie was dismissed within a year of taking charge of the Test side.
As Pakistan hosted a major global cricket event for the first time in nearly three decades, New Zealand crashed the party in ruthless fashion. Fresh off their triumph in the ODI tri-nation series, the Blackcaps handed Pakistan a crushing 60-run defeat, putting the defending champions on the brink of an early exit.
With their campaign hanging by a thread, Pakistan faced a must-win showdown against arch-rivals India in Dubai. However, despite the high stakes, their lacklustre performance cost them dearly.
Needing Bangladesh to pull off an upset against New Zealand to keep their hopes alive, Pakistan could only watch as the Kiwis dismantled the Tigers with a five-wicket win, sealing their fate. Their final match of the tournament, a now-meaningless clash against Bangladesh, was ultimately washed out due to relentless rain.
Following the disastrous campaign, Pakistan opted for a complete overhaul of their white-ball squad, aiming to rebuild ahead of future ICC events. On Tuesday, the PCB dropped senior players Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan from the T20I squad for the upcoming series against New Zealand.
