ISLAMABAD: The dramatic fallout from coach Gary Kirsten’s abrupt departure exposes a deep-seated frustration with the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) recent handling of team selections.
Sources reveal that Kirsten was left discontented when the Board against prior agreement, excluded him from key decisions—particularly the recent team selections for the upcoming tours to Australia and Zimbabwe, as well as the awarding of central contracts to 25 players.
It became evident after Sunday’s announcement of the touring squads that Kirsten had been sidelined. Previously granted authority alongside Jason Gillespie to manage team selections and even name playing XIs, Kirsten found his influence sharply curtailed.
With one of the selectors Aaqib Javed making his presence felt with finalising strategy for the last two home Tests against England, the PCB think-tank transferred all the selection powers to the committee and intimated the two coaches Kirsten and Gillespie to only perform day to day responsibilities and leave the rest to selection committee. Sources say that the two were even told to consult the selection committee before finalising playing XI for each international match. That newly formulated script was followed by the red-ball head coach without uttering a word while Kirsten confronted it saying that it was his right (as promised) to select the playing XI and even a big say when it comes to naming the touring squads and players meeting the criteria to get the future Central Contract. However, under the fresh policy recently adopted by the PCB, Kirsten was denied any role in team selection, resulting in his decision to resign. “This all happened Sunday when Kirsten came to know realistically that he has lost his role in team selection and was restricted to day to day business. Jason Gillespie admitted it openly that he would not be having any say in selection matters and all the PCB wanted him to do was to concentrate on handling the selected team on daily basis during match days. Gillespie did not resist but Kirsten made it a prestige point and ultimately resigned from the post. Kirsten was also unhappy with the selectors decision to drop Fakhar Zaman and Shadab Khan for the Australia tour, maintaining that the two are match winners and need better treatment.
The PCB, however, has a different story to tell as they say that Kirsten did not live up to the promised Contractual clauses. He was appointed by the PCB to revolutionise the white ball team. “Instead we had our worst World Cup we have ever had. Even following this tournament the PCB and Chairman wishes to give him maximum power to turn around Pakistan cricket. He was given the power of selection over the Selection Committee.
“The problem is that he never seemed fully committed to it. He did not have a single camp in Pakistan for any of the white-ball teams. He was not present at the white-ball camps of the Shaheens throughout the summer. And it all culminated with him missing the majority of the Champions Cup - our foremost One day tournament just months before we are to host the Champions Trophy.
“When the PCB signed with him it was understood that he would spend the majority of his time either with the team or in Pakistan. That did not materialise. His contract says he had 30 days off in the year. Instead he has not spent even 30 days in Pakistan since he joined as a coach. If you do not spend the time in Pakistan, if you do not know the domestic players, is it right for you to expect complete authority on selection?
“Another part of his purview was to develop local coaches. Instead what the PCB has received is more and more demands for foreign coaches as part of his staff. Though we accepted his demands of support staff, yet he keeps on having more without narrating a genuine reason for retaining such a huge staff.”
