Gary Kirsten Discusses Challenges During His Tenure with Pakistan Cricket Team

Gary Kirsten's Brief Stint with Pakistan Cricket

Former South African cricketer and coach of the 2011 World Cup-winning team, Gary Kirsten, has shared insights into his short-lived role with the Pakistan national cricket team. Appointed as the white-ball coach in April 2024, Kirsten stepped down after just six months, citing a lack of control over crucial decisions as a primary reason for his resignation.

Kirsten acknowledged that he quickly realized he would be unable to make the impact he had hoped for. Despite an initial sense of optimism, it became evident that his position lacked the autonomy and support necessary to implement meaningful changes in Pakistan's white-ball cricket framework.

His exit followed closely after the resignation of Jason Gillespie, the head coach of the Pakistan Test team. Gillespie had led the team to a historic ODI series win in Australia but ultimately departed due to similar frustrations within the system.

Kirsten, who previously served as the batting coach for Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League (IPL), has not dismissed the possibility of returning to Pakistan cricket. He expressed willingness to take on a coaching role again, provided he is given the right conditions to perform effectively without interference.

Despite being a highly respected figure in the coaching world, Kirsten's brief experience with Pakistan highlights ongoing challenges within the team's management and organization. He remarked, “It was a tumultuous few months. I realized quite quickly I wasn’t going to have much of an influence. Once I was taken off selection and asked to take a team without being able to shape it, it became very difficult to have any positive impact.”

He further stated, “If I got invited back to Pakistan tomorrow, I would go, but I would want to go for the players, and I would want to go under the right circumstances. Cricket teams need to be run by cricket people. When that’s not happening, and there’s a lot of influential noise from the outside, it’s tough for leaders within the team to navigate the path necessary to elevate the team.”

Kirsten concluded by expressing his desire to focus solely on coaching, stating, “I’m too old now to be dealing with other agendas; I just want to coach a cricket team and work with the players. I love the Pakistan players; they’re great guys. They feel immense pressure when they lose, and I empathize with them.”