‘He is a clown’: Jason Gillespie slams Pakistan coach’s comments after ugly split

Australian cricket great Jason Gillespie has rubbished comments made by Pakistan’s coach following a year of turmoil in the team.

Jason Gillespie has rubbished claims by Pakistan’s cricket coach that a lack of continuity was behind the team’s poor recent form.

The Aussie cricket great resigned as Pakistan coach in December, 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, but Kirsten resigned in October for similar reasons.

Pakistan finished on the bottom of Group A in the Champions Trophy currently being held on their home soil, losing to India and New Zealand.

Speaking about the host nation’s early exit from the tournament, Pakistan coach Aaqib Javed claimed the team’s form struggles was partly due to coaching changes.

“We changed 16 coaches in the last two and a half years and 26 selectors. If you do this to any team in the world, their performance would be the same,” Javed said in a press conference on Tuesday.

“I take full responsibility for the team’s performance and whatever decision you think I need to take while being responsible, I will not step away from any harsh decision.”

Pakistan's head coach Aaqib Javed said changes in coaches hadn’t helped the team. (Photo by Farooq NAEEM / AFP)

Those comments didn’t go down well with Gillespie, who believed Javed had wanted himself and Kirsten out of Pakistan’s set-up.

Gillespie responded on social media: “This is hilarious. Aaqib was clearly undermining Gary and I behind the scenes campaigning to be the coach in all formats.

“He is a clown.”

Javed became part of Pakistan’s selection committee last year and took over as the team’s limited overs coach after Kirsten’s resignation.

Javed became the coach in all three formats following Gillespie’s decision to quit as head coach of the Test team.

The Pakistan Cricket Board has stressed Javed is the interim coach and not a permanent appointment.

“Aaqib Javed will continue as interim head coach for the New Zealand (T20 and ODI) tour,” the PCB said.

“His original term was until the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, but he has been asked to extend his tenure while the search for a permanent head coach begins. Mohammad Yousuf has been appointed as batting coach.”

Javed said: “I was the interim coach for three months and the Champions Trophy, since there is not a huge gap that we can bring anyone new in for the New Zealand series, so am continuing as interim coach.”

In an extensive interview with ABC Radio in December, 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.

Jason Gillespie said he was blindsided by decisions made when he was Pakistan’s Test coach. (Photo by Asif HASSAN / AFP)

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

“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.”

Gillespie quit as Pakistan coach last year. (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.”

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.

Originally published as ‘He is a clown’: Jason Gillespie slams Pakistan coach’s comments after ugly split