Just six months into his appointment as coach of Pakistan's white-ball sides, Gary Kirsten has stepped down from the position because of irreconcilable differences over the team's functioning. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has asked Jason Gillespie, the current red-ball coach, to double up.

Cricbuzz had reported about the likely exit of Kirsten, a former India World Cup-winning coach. On Monday morning, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed the parting with the former South Africa opener ahead of the white ball team's twin tours of Australia and Zimbabwe, where Pakistan will play six white-ball matches each.

"The Pakistan Cricket Board today announced Jason Gillespie will coach the Pakistan men's cricket team on next month's white-ball tour of Australia after Gary Kirsten submitted his resignation, which was accepted," the PCB said in a brief statement. A part of the 15-member ODI squad departed for Australia on Monday, with the rest following on Tuesday.

Cricbuzz has learned of serious differences of opinion between Kirsten and the players. While the PCB may not have directly influenced this situation, Kirsten's request to appoint David Reid as a High Performance coach did not find favour with the board. Instead, the PCB suggested alternatives, which were not acceptable to Kirsten.

Besides, the PCB removed Kirsten, for that matter Gillespie too, from the selection panels after initially making them part of the respective committees. The move was criticised by Mickey Arthur, a two-time former Pakistan coach. "You can't not have input from the coach in terms of selection, he looks the players in the eye every day and for his role to be taken seriously needs to communicate clearly on roles with the players and give feedback!," Arthur, himself a South African, wrote on X (formerly Twitter). Kirsten did not respond to a message from Cricbuzz.

Just about six months into his tenure, things seem to have deteriorated in Pakistan's whiteball setup. With less than four months remaining before the Champions Trophy, the PCB may now have to look for a full-time new white-ball coach. It is not an ideal situation as Pakistan will be hosting an ICC tournament for the first time in over two decades. Whether Gillespie, who guided the Test side to a come-from-behind 2-1 home series win over England, will continue till the Champions Trophy is not clear.

Kirsten took over Pakistan's white-ball teams in mid-May, after completing his assignment with the Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He joined the squad in England where Pakistan suffered a bilateral series loss to Jos Buttler's side. The team's struggles continued into the T20 World Cup, with an unexpected defeat against the hosts USA. A subsequent close defeat to arch-rivals India ruined their chances of qualifying for the knockouts of the ICC event in June.

Source: cricbuzz