Adelaide, Sep 4 — Former Pakistan head coach Jason Gillespie has launched a scathing attack on chief selector Aaqib Javed following a dramatic squad overhaul on their ongoing Test tour of England, saying that the remaining players in the national team are playing out of fear.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) replaced head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul earlier this week while sending seven players home, including Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, after heavy defeats in the first two Tests to England at Headingley and Lord’s.
Gillespie, who coached Pakistan in 2024, including to a 2-1 series win over England, said the sudden dismissals demonstrated a complete lack of strategic direction within the selection committee led by Javed.
“I feel for the players, this is these guys livelihoods. From the outside, it looks like they are playing with fear. Salman Ali Agha goes from captaining the team in the first Test against England to being out of the team for the second Test and on the plane home before the third Test.
“How does that work? It's pretty clear they don't have a selection strategy at all, particularly under Aaqib Javed. They change their mind like they change their pants - daily," Gillespie, the former Australia fast bowler, was quoted as saying by The Australian on Friday.
He also expressed anger over how Javed still continues to blame him and Gary Kirsten, especially with them not having involvement with Pakistan cricket anymore. "Aaqib Javed came out recently and blamed Gary Kirsten and myself for everything that is going on.
“Aaqib has been chairman of selectors for the past two years. We haven't even been there. Somehow he claims it is our fault. Make sense out of that. I think Javed needs to look at himself in the mirror.
"There is definitely no communication between Aaqib Javed, who is meant to be chairman of selectors, and the players. The players who were sacked heard it through family and friends and the media they had been sacked. How disrespectful is that?"
New Zealand’s Mike Hesson, who’s the white-ball coach of Pakistan, and Australia’s Ashley Noffke have assumed coaching responsibilities for the third and final Test beginning at Edgbaston on September 9.