Aaqib Javed set to replace Jason Gillespie as Pakistan head coach

Following Pakistan's disappointing performance in the recent T20 World Cup, PCB Chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, had hinted at significant changes within the team. The first of these changes appears to be the removal of Pakistan’s head coach, Jason Gillespie. He will be replaced by former cricketer Aqib Javed, who will take over as the new coach.

Jason Gillespie, the former Australian fast bowler, has been serving as Pakistan's head coach for the past seven months. According to reports from the Indian cricket-based website ESPN CricInfo, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is expected to officially announce Gillespie's departure and Aqib Javed’s appointment on November 18.

Gillespie was originally appointed as the coach for Pakistan's red-ball (Test) cricket team. However, after the resignation of Gary Kirsten, the coach for the white-ball formats, Gillespie took on the responsibility of overseeing all three formats of the game—Test, ODI, and T20. This is where tensions began to rise between Gillespie and the PCB.

The issue stemmed from the PCB’s unwillingness to pay Gillespie additional fees for managing all three formats. The board had intended to pay him only the salary for his original red-ball coaching role, as per his contract. The disagreement led to the board losing interest in continuing with Gillespie, especially after Pakistan suffered a humiliating whitewash against Bangladesh in the Test series. However, under Gillespie's leadership, Pakistan did manage a victory against England in the Test format.

Meanwhile, Aqib Javed, who has been serving as the chairman of the Pakistan national team’s selection committee, is set to take over the role of head coach. Although Javed was not initially PCB's first choice for the position, the board had explored the possibility of retaining Gillespie until the Champions Trophy, which was to be played on home soil. However, due to disagreements with the board, Gillespie has lost his position.

The official announcement of these changes is expected soon, as PCB looks to move forward with a new coaching setup under Aqib Javed.