Former Pakistan head coach Jason Gillespie has criticised the team’s current selection and management approach, saying Aaqib Javed should take responsibility for the uncertainty surrounding the national side.
Gillespie, who coached Pakistan for around eight months in 2024 and guided the team to a 2-1 Test series victory over England, said he was disappointed to see the players struggling under what appeared to be an atmosphere of fear.
“I feel for the players, this is these guys’ livelihoods,” Gillespie told an Australian media outlet. “From the outside, it looks like they are playing with fear.”
His comments came after a major shake-up within Pakistan’s Test setup. The team recently removed head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and pace-bowling coach Umar Gul, while seven players were also released from the squad during the ongoing England tour following two heavy defeats.
Gillespie questioned the decision to drop Salman Ali Agha, who captained Pakistan in the opening Test against England but was subsequently removed from the squad and sent home before the third match.
“Salman Ali Agha goes from captaining the team in the first Test against England to out of the team for the second Test and on the plane home before the third Test,” he said. “How does that work?”
The former coach was particularly critical of Javed’s role in the selection process, arguing that Pakistan lacked a consistent strategy.
“It’s pretty clear they don’t have a selection strategy at all, particularly under Aaqib Javed,” Gillespie said. “They change their mind like they change their pants — daily.”
Gillespie also rejected criticism reportedly directed at him and former Pakistan white-ball coach Gary Kirsten over the team’s current problems.
“Aaqib Javed came out recently and blamed Gary Kirsten and myself for everything that is going on,” he said.
“Aaqib has been chairman of selectors for the past two years. We haven’t even been there. Somehow he claims it is our fault. Make sense out of that. I think Javed needs to look at himself in the mirror.”
Gillespie also raised concerns about communication between the selection committee and the players, claiming some of those removed from the squad learned about their fate indirectly.
“There is definitely no communication between Aaqib Javed, who is meant to be chairman of selectors, and the players,” he said.
“The players who were sacked heard it through family and friends and the media they had been sacked. How disrespectful is that?”
Gillespie’s criticism comes amid growing concern among former Pakistan players and coaches over the team’s recent decisions. Former captains Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Malik have also expressed bewilderment, while ex-coach Mickey Arthur described the situation as “an absolutely ridiculous situation”.
New Zealand’s Mike Hesson, who already oversees Pakistan’s white-ball side, and Australian coach Ashley Noffke have taken temporary charge of the team for the remainder of the England tour.
