Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen lashed out at the Pakistan cricket team following the axing of former head coach, Gary Kirsten from his white-ball formats duties. Kirsten is one of the most highly regarded coaches and a former prolific batter from South Africa.
Pietersen voiced his discontent on social media as he asked how Pakistan could afford to let go of someone like Kirsten with such a stellar coaching resume. “How can Pakistan Cricket lose Gary Kirsten with his resume in coaching? One step forward the last few weeks and two steps back today! Stop doing it to yourself. Too much talent to keep doing this kind of stuff!” Pietersen wrote on X.
Her resignation has come just a week before Pakistan’s white-ball tour of Australia. The Pakistan Cricket Board appointed the left-hander on a two-year contract in April 2024, but they ended it abruptly. The PCB announced that Jason Gillespie, the Test coach, will replace Kirsten for the upcoming tour of Australia, set to begin on November 4. The tour includes three ODIs and three T20Is.
Gillespie arrived with Kirsten, the red-ball coach. And that historic Test series win over England recently was a pointer that he can deliver. Indeed, it was the home side’s first series win at home since 2021.
The team mainly tasked her with preparing for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, set to be held in the West Indies and USA. Unfortunately, Pakistan exited the tournament early after losing in the group stage to India and the USA. These losses raised several questions about the team’s direction and future prospects.
The team also trained in preparation for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which will be the first ICC tournament on Pakistan’s soil for close to three decades.
The initial lot of cricketers left for Melbourne on October 28. And the rest departed the very next day, on October 29. Pakistan also plans to tour Zimbabwe for a white-ball series after the Australia tour.
Pietersen’s comments highlight broader concerns about the management of Pakistan cricket. A larger segment of the fans and experts alike would like to see more stability in terms of coaching and team management. As many have pointed out, with so much talent inside, they could have deserved better leadership and direction.
ANI
