In the wake of recent poor showings across formats, Pakistan’s white and red ball head coaches, Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie have urged the nation’s cricket administration not to change the captains hastily. Babar Azam lost his position as white ball captain just after round-robin exit at 2023 ODI World Cup in India while his replacement got sacked after one bad series, Shaheen Afridi. After Babar resigned from Test cricket, Shan Masood was named captain but there are calls for his immediate ouster after 0-2 test series defeat from Bangladesh.
As a PCB source however told PTI, speculations regarding Masood or Babar being sacked in recent media reports are nothing more than kite flying.
“No discussions have been held concerning the changing of captains because it was left with two coaches and selectors on whom they would choose as their own,” it stated.
“The idea is that both players need to be given time to prove themselves,” added the source citing Kirsten’s own words.
He explained further that continuity in terms of team’s leaders was desired by both coaches, who have made this point very clear to the cricket board.
Captaincy issues or selection of teams will not be on agenda for discussions when board organizes its one-day workshop cricket connection at Lahore later this month.
This workshop is supposed to give an opportunity to all stakeholders, especially the domestic team coaches, selectors and contracted players an opportunity to present their views so that the board can bridge the gap between local and international cricket standards, he said.
He also mentioned that Gillespie who would join through video link and Kirsten who personally appear at the workshop had told PCB chief that it needs long term outcomes from the team irrespective of formats (Test, ODI or T20), provided we are patient along with following same policies.
The workshop serves mainly because these two coaches want them have a clear idea of what they must do in order to maintain steady flow of cricketers eligible for selection into national squads across all formats.”
The source said that it would probably be Babar in order to keep everything smooth and consistent across all the white ball formats when asked if he is going to be made captain for the ODI series against Australia and South Africa later this year or for the Champions Trophy.
