‘Not going to be easy for Pakistan to hire international talent’- Ramiz Raja on Gary Kirsten’s leaving

Just six months after joining the Pakistan white-ball team, Gary Kirsten resigned as head coach. The World Cup-winning coach signed a two-year deal in February 2024 with the intention of bringing success, but after failing to deliver in the T20 World Cup 2024, Pakistan cricket came under heavy fire. Captain Babar Azam resigned shortly after, and Kirsten has since resigned.

According to rumours, the 56-year-old chose to split ways because he didn’t approve of Mohammad Rizwan being chosen captain. Ramiz Raja, a former cricket player, said that Kirsten’s resignation is bad for Pakistani cricket since it could deter future visits from international coaches. He thinks that another factor was that Kirsten wasn’t given enough clarity.

“Hiring international talent won’t be an easy, uncomplicated task for Pakistan given the kind of outrage that Gary Kirsten’s resignation is likely to cause when looking for international coaches. Raja was reported as saying, “What you have to do is make sure that once you involve and engage somebody, you have to give them clarity regarding the role.”

“I’m not sure if Gary Kirsten received that insight or what he hoped to do in order to bring Pakistan into this one-day phase. I am not aware of that. The fact that Kirsten is leaving is not good news because Pakistan needed an experienced hand. It doesn’t look good from a distance right before a tour,” he continued.

All I can hope is that Rizwan gets his starting lineup: Ramiz Raja

Jason Gillespie, meanwhile, will be taking over for Gary Kirsten during Pakistan’s next tour of Australia. Speaking on the fact that it will be Rizwan’s first trip as captain, Raja expressed his optimism that the recently appointed captain will be able to play with the players he believes are appropriate.

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The selection committee is currently nominating the playing XI, which is a bit of a jumble. I doubt that it occurs in other parts of the world. Raja remarked, “I only hope Rizwan gets his playing XI that he feels comfortable with.”