The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has issued a strong rebuttal to claims made by former red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie, who alleged that he is still awaiting part of his remuneration from the board. The controversy erupted after Gillespie shared an Instagram story referencing a recent interview with Pakistani media, where he expressed disappointment over unmet financial commitments and broken promises related to his tenure with the national team.
Gillespie, along with former South African coach Gary Kirsten, was appointed by the PCB in April 2024 on a two-year contract. While Gillespie was tasked with leading the red-ball side, Kirsten was given charge of the white-ball setup. The appointments were hailed as part of a new era in Pakistan cricket, aiming to build a long-term competitive squad across formats. However, both coaches resigned within six months, citing a lack of operational autonomy and reduced influence in team selection matters.
In his now-viral Instagram posts, Gillespie wrote, “I am still waiting on some remuneration from the PCB,” and in another, he added, “Gary Kirsten and I got sold the dream of building a team. Losing a game, and all of a sudden, that gets thrown out of the window.” These public revelations are the first financial grievances voiced by either of the former coaches since their exits.
In response to Gillespie's claims, the PCB swiftly issued a statement denying the allegations of unpaid dues and accused the Australian coach of breaching the terms of his contract. “The Pakistan Cricket Board refutes claims made by a former head coach on the non-payment of his dues,” the PCB said in an official statement. “The former head coach abruptly left his position without giving a four-month notice period, which was a clear breach of the contractual terms. The coaching contract explicitly mentioned a notice period applicable to both parties, and the coach was fully aware of it.”
The board has maintained that the coaching roles were vacated prematurely and without following due process, which could have led to potential financial and procedural complications. The PCB’s relationship with both Gillespie and Kirsten reportedly deteriorated after the board retracted much of the authority initially promised to the coaching duo. The removal of selection committee privileges was seen as a significant downgrade in their roles, prompting frustrations that ultimately led to their departures.
Following the exits of Gillespie and Kirsten, former Test pacer Aaqib Javed has been serving as interim head coach for all formats. However, internal sources have confirmed that Aaqib is not keen on continuing in this role long-term and has expressed interest in the position of Director of the High Performance Centre in Lahore — a post vacated by former Test spinner Nadeem Khan. The PCB recently posted fresh job openings for both the head coach of the national team and the director of the high-performance centre, setting May 5 as the application deadline. This move signals a broader structural revamp of the coaching staff in anticipation of future tours and international tournaments.
“There are indications that the PCB is now inclined to appoint a low-profile foreign coach who may be more amenable to working within the board's revised operational framework,” a source told SocialNews.XYZ. With Pakistan cricket currently navigating a transitional period, the PCB’s latest approach appears to favor greater institutional control over team management, in contrast to its earlier model of empowering high-profile foreign coaches with significant autonomy.
While the situation with Jason Gillespie and Gary Kirsten has highlighted underlying issues between foreign appointments and the board’s administrative culture, the outcome of the current hiring process could shape the next phase of Pakistan’s cricketing trajectory. For now, the back-and-forth between Gillespie and the PCB has added another chapter to the list of controversial coach exits in Pakistan cricket, with fans and experts closely watching how the board moves forward in selecting the next leadership team for the national side.
