‘I was utterly blindsided’: Why Jason Gillespie quit as Pakistan coach

Australian cricket great Jason Gillespie has come clean about his decision to quit as Pakistan coach, saying he was “utterly blindsided”.

Jason Gillespie says he was “completely and utterly blindsided” by a key decision that prompted him to quit as Pakistan’s head cricket coach last week.

The Australian cricket great resigned as Pakistan coach last Thursday, sensationally refusing to join the squad on their tour of South Africa over disagreements with the country’s cricket board (the PCB).

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Gillespie still had more than one year to run on his contract after he was appointed the team’s red ball coach in April.

Former South Africa opening batsman Gary Kirsten was supposed to be his partner as white-ball coach. Kirsten resigned in October for similar reasons.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed Gillespie’s resignation on Friday morning.

In an extensive interview with ABC Radio, Gillespie pinpointed the decision not to renew assistant coach Tim Nielsen’s contract as the “straw that broke the camel’s back”.

“As a head coach you like to have clear communication with your employer,” Gillespie said.

“I was completely and utterly blindsided by the decision to not have a senior high performance assistant coach.

“Tim Nielsen was told his services were no longer required. I had absolutely zero communication about that.

Jason Gillespie quit as Pakistan’s red ball cricket coach. (Photo by Asif HASSAN / AFP)

Tim Nielsen was told his services were no longer required. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Morgan Sette

“I just thought after a number of other things that had gone on in the previous few months, that was probably the moment where I thought probably not really sure if they actually want me to do this job or not.

“That was the frustrating thing. I had developed a really close relationship with the Test captain Shan Masood, felt we were certainly going in the right direction and things were going really well.”

Nielsen is a former coach of the Australian cricket team and had been working with Gillespie on Pakistan’s white ball tour of Australia in November, which saw Pakistan defeat Australia in the One Day series.

“All the feedback I and the PCB had got was just how effective Tim had been in his role and the players were getting a lot out of him,” Gillespie added.

“They were calling him grandpa. There was some good banter between the boys.

“We out-fielded England in a Test series. Not many Pakistan teams can claim to outfield an opposition. Pakistan aren’t renowned for being strong fielding sides over the years. We put a strong emphasis on that and Tim really drove and led that. We were taking all our chances.

“When the head coach doesn’t get a text message, phone call, email about a pretty big decision that’s going to me made, just left me thinking, ‘I’m really not sure if the PCB actually really want me to be part of it’.

“With the news that the board decided to not allow Tim to travel to South Africa. I’ve heard that was on the recommendation of someone. In essence, it made my job untenable.”

Jason Gillespie has turned a flamethrower to the PCB (Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images)

Gillespie slammed the lack of communication from Pakistan cricket officials, claiming he was frozen out of team selection and his matchday role was limited to catching practice.

“Having to ask the selectors when they’re going to share what the squad is for a tour with the head coach, those sorts of things just make you think, are they really interested in having you on board,” he said.

“My opportunity to help was severely diminished by a reduced role. In essence I felt I was basically hitting catches and that was about it on the morning of a game.

“You want to have clear communication with all stakeholders, including selectors. Knowing what the team at least a day before the game so you can help plan and prepare the players. Those sort of things made it difficult to do my job effectively.

Darren Lehmann replied in the ABC interview: “You can’t comment, but 12 selectors and you’re not one of them? That is tough. I reckon it’s been ridiculous.”

Gillespie was removed from the selection panel following Pakistan’s 2-0 whitewash at the hands on Bangladesh in September and losing the first Test by an innings against England a month later.

Pakistan won the next two Tests against England, taking the series 2-1, on sharply spinning pitches.

Last month, the PCB strongly refuted claims Gillespie had been sacked.

The decision to quit the Pakistan job leaves Gillespie’s coaching career in limbo. In March he stepped down as the coach of the South Australian Redbacks after another poor One Day and Sheffield Shield season.

Under new Redbacks coach Ryan Harris, South Australia is on top of the Sheffield Shield table after four games and is aiming to win the domestic competition for the first time since the 1995/96 season, when a young Gillespie was in the side.

Ex-Australian Test captain Tim Paine has taken over Gillespie as Adelaide Strikers coach in the Big Bash.

Former Pakistan paceman Aaqib Javed has taken over as interim Pakistan coach. Aaqib, who also replaced Kirsten as interim white-ball coach, will now oversee the two-Test series in South Africa, starting in Centurion from December 26.

The second Test will be played in Cape Town from January 3-7. Pakistan’s white-ball squad is currently in South Africa for a three-match T20 series and three one-day internationals.

Originally published as ‘I was utterly blindsided’: Why Jason Gillespie quit as Pakistan coach