Jason Gillespie has finally explained why his time as Pakistan’s Test coach ended in such a bitter and abrupt fashion, and his version of events shows a very uncomfortable picture of how the Pakistan Cricket Board functions behind closed doors.
Speaking during a Q&A session on X, the former Australian fast bowler revealed that he stepped down in December 2024 not because of results, but because of how he was treated by the PCB. Gillespie was appointed in April 2024, tasked with stabilising Pakistan’s struggling red-ball side, but says several board decisions crossed the line professionally and personally.
Gillespie attacks PCB
The breaking point came when the PCB dismissed senior assistant coach Tim Nielsen without informing him. “I was coaching the Pakistan Test side. The PCB sacked our senior assistant coach with ZERO communication with me about it,” Gillespie wrote. “As head coach I found this situation completely unacceptable. There were a number of other issues which left me completely humiliated.“
Gillespie inherited a Pakistan team short on confidence and consistency. His tenure began badly with a 2–0 home defeat to Bangladesh in September, a result that exposed familiar problems with Pakistan’s batting and team balance.
But the side showed clear improvement under him a month later, producing one of Pakistan’s best Test series wins in years by defeating England 2–1 at home. After losing the first Test, Pakistan adjusted smartly to spin-friendly conditions and outplayed England in the next two matches.
This is not the first time Gillespie has clashed with the board. After resigning, he accused the PCB of failing to pay him in full, a claim the board denied, saying he breached his contract by not serving a four-month notice period.
