Pakistan’s red-ball cricket team head coach, Jason Gillespie, emphasized the importance of giving confidence and showing faith in the current group of cricketers, advocating against knee-jerk reactions to poor performances. “We picked a squad which is not too dissimilar to what we had against Bangladesh. I’m really keen to show our faith and belief in our players,” Gillespie said. He discussed various topics, including player development, fitness challenges, and lessons learned during commentary at the Champions Cup match between Lions and Stallions on Wednesday.
Gillespie stressed the need for consistency, highlighting that the team showed glimpses of good cricket in both the first and second Test against Bangladesh in Pindi. “We just need to do it a little bit more consistently,” he added. Gillespie believes that maintaining trust in the players will help achieve the desired results.
Having toured Australia with the Pakistan Shaheens, Gillespie shared his experience of getting acquainted with the players and support staff. “The team’s been great,” he said. “I was fortunate enough to be in Darwin with the Pakistan Shaheens, which was a great experience to get to know some of the guys playing underneath the test side. Obviously, the test series didn’t go the way we would have liked against Bangladesh, but to start getting to know the players, the support staff, and everyone within Pakistan cricket has been fantastic.”
A renowned fast bowler himself, Gillespie acknowledged the importance of fitness in Test cricket. “Fitness has been well-documented in the press. That’s certainly something, as far as I’m concerned, and having spoken to Gary Kirsten, is controllable. It’s something that we can control. We can continue to develop and work on that because, as we know, Test cricket is a challenge,” he remarked.
Kamran Ghulam, who has been in outstanding form in the Champions Cup, scoring two centuries, caught the eye of the cricketing community. Gillespie acknowledged Ghulam’s form but emphasized rewarding the current squad. “Kamran has been communicated that his form has been acknowledged. He’s had, in particular, recent excellent performances. There are guys in the test squad who have been excellent over time, and we want to reward that,” he explained. Gillespie reiterated the importance of patience, noting, “We firmly believe if we show faith and belief in our players, it gives them the best chance to go out and play with the freedom that we want them to play.”
Managing the workload of players who compete in all three formats, especially fast bowlers like Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi, is a pressing challenge for Gillespie and the Pakistan management. He underscored the importance of a “squad mentality” rather than over-relying on a few players. “There’s a lot of cricket in all formats that we need to just be really aware of and make sure we’re managing our players as best we can,” he said.
Gillespie shared a personal learning experience regarding Afridi’s availability during the Bangladesh series, stating, “I learned a pretty good lesson as a coach in the first Test match when Shaheen’s wife was due to give birth. My initial thought was for him not to play and to spend time with his family. However, Shaheen, to his credit, was so keen to play. In hindsight, I should have made that call to allow him to have that important family time. It’s a lesson I’ve learned as a coach.”
When asked about trying youngsters in Test matches now that Pakistan’s chances to qualify for the WTC final are over, Gillespie reiterated his focus on winning every game but acknowledged the possibility of giving younger players a chance. “We want to show our faith and backing to the incumbents, but if there are prolonged performances that need improvement, we will look at things. I’ve got a lot of faith in these players. This tournament has shown just how much talent there is in Pakistan cricket,” he said. He hinted at potential opportunities for youngsters later in the year, adding, “We may look at exploring opportunities to be brave in selection and expose some youngsters to the Test team environment.”
Gillespie emphasized the need to increase depth in all facets of the game, including batting, fast bowling, spin bowling, and wicket-keeping. The wicket-keeper position, currently held by Mohammad Rizwan and former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed, is one he has his eyes on. “Sarfraz has been a wonderful servant, but we know Safi’s not getting any younger. At some point, we’re going to need to start exploring and offering opportunities to other players,” he said.
As Gillespie continues to familiarize himself with the setup, his message is clear—building a squad that can compete at the highest level, managing workload efficiently, and nurturing talent are his top priorities. “We don’t want to have to rely on one or two players in any discipline. We want to be able to create depth and squads so that we can call on any player at any time,” he concluded.
Jason Gillespie’s first few months as head coach have been a learning experience, filled with challenges but also with a sense of hope. His approach of maintaining faith in the current squad, managing workload sensibly, and creating a broader talent pool will be crucial as Pakistan navigates the tough road ahead in international cricket.
