Former 1992 WC winner set to replace Pakistan head coach Jason Gillespie: Report

Former Australian star pacer Jason Gillespie is likely to be removed from the head coach of the Pakistan national cricket team, as former Pakistan pacer and 1992 World Cup winner is set to replace Gillespie.

Jason Gillespie was working as the Test head coach and former South African cricketer Gary Kirsten was the white-ball head coach for the Pakistan men’s team.

Jason Gillespie took additional responsibilities after Gary Kirsten's resign

Recently, Kirsten stepped down from the head coach role of Pakistan’s limited-overs sides. In his absence, the Test head coach Gillespie was working with the white-ball teams on an interim basis. 

After Pakistan dramatically won the home Test series against England by 2-1, despite losing the first Test, they started the ongoing Australia tour with a historic ODI series win (2-1) once again after losing the series opener. 

However, Pakistan have lost the three-match T20I series as they are already down to 2-0 before the last game of the series. 

According to the latest ESPNcricinfo report, Gillespie is likely to be released from all the head coach duties for Pakistan. While Australia vs Pakistan's last T20I match has been scheduled for Monday (November 18) at Hobart, Gillespie’s tenure can officially end on Monday.

The reason for Gillespie's step down

According to an ESPNcricinfo report, as Kirsten left the Pakistan team, the Test coach Gilespie was asked to take the additional white-ball roles without changing the present contract. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was expected to see Gillespie as the all-format head coach till the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which Pakistan will host in February 2025.

However, Gillespie refused to accept the additional role under the present contract. As both parties have different views, the PCB is set to release Gillespie, as the board wants an all-format head coach.

Aaqib Javed is set to replace Gillespie

The 52-year-old Aaqib Javed is likely to take the all-format head coach role of the Pakistan men’s cricket team. He played 22 Tests and 163 ODIs, where the right-arm fast-medium bowler took 54 and 182 wickets, respectively. 

Javed was one of the key members of the Pakistan team that won the ODI World Cup 1992. He took 11 wickets in 10 games of that tournament. In the final against England, where Pakistan won by 22 runs, Javed was the best economical bowler for Pakistan with the bowling figures of 10-2-27-2.