Gary Kirsten, the former South African cricketer and coach who led India to their 2011 ODI World Cup victory, has opened up about the reasons behind his premature departure from his role as Pakistan's white-ball head coach. Appointed in April 2024 on a two-year deal alongside Jason Gillespie, who took over as Test coach, Kirsten resigned just six months into the job, citing "outside" influence and "agendas" that made it impossible for him to effectively coach the team.
Kirsten's tenure with the Pakistan team coincided with a particularly turbulent period for the nation's cricket. The team suffered a group-stage exit at the T20 World Cup, including shocking defeats to the USA and India. This poor performance, combined with existing issues within the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), created an environment where Kirsten felt he could not make a meaningful impact.
In a recent interview, Kirsten revealed that a key factor in his decision was being excluded from selection decisions. He stated that he was initially assured a significant role in shaping the team, but this changed after the T20 World Cup exit. Kirsten said, "It was a tumultuous few months. I realised quite quickly I wasn't going to have much of an influence. Once I was taken off selection and asked to take a team and not be able to shape the team, it became very difficult as a coach then to have any sort of positive influence on the group." He emphasized that being unable to influence team selection made it difficult for him to implement his strategies and build a cohesive unit.
Kirsten also highlighted the broader challenges of working within the PCB structure, where he felt cricket was not always prioritized by those in leadership positions. "Cricket teams need to be run by cricket people," he asserted. He pointed to "a lot of noise from the outside" and "very influential noise" that made it difficult for leaders within the team to follow a clear path toward improvement. Kirsten suggested that these external influences and agendas undermined the team's ability to progress.
Adding to the sense of dysfunction, both Kirsten and Gillespie were excluded from a newly formed five-member selection panel shortly after their appointments. This signaled a breakdown in the structure and authority that had been initially promised. Gillespie also stepped down, citing the removal of high-performance coach Tim Nielsen as a major factor, which left a "sour taste".
Despite his frustrations, Kirsten expressed his fondness for the Pakistan players and his sympathy for the intense pressure they face. "I'm too old now to be dealing with other agendas, I just want to coach a cricket team, work with the players – I love the Pakistan players, they're great guys. I had a very short period of time with them and I feel for them. More than any other team in the world, they feel the pressure of performance massively, when they lose, it's hectic for them, and they feel that."
Kirsten remains open to returning to coach the Pakistan team in the future, but only "under the right circumstances." He reiterated that he would want to return "for the players" and under conditions where he could have a positive influence without external interference.
Kirsten's insights shed light on the internal challenges that have plagued Pakistan cricket in recent years. His departure, along with Gillespie's, underscores the need for structural reforms and a focus on empowering cricket professionals within the PCB to create a more stable and successful environment.
