Former Australia pace bowler Jason Gillespie recently shared his experience of working with star batter Babar Azam during his tenure as the red-ball head coach of the Pakistan men’s cricket team.
Gillespie was appointed by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in April 2024 for a two-year period. However, last week he stepped down from the role unexpectedly ahead of the much-awaited Test series against South Africa.
After his sudden departure, he made shocking revelations about his time with the Green Shirts during an interview with Australian media. However, he heaped high praise on Babar, despite the right-handed batter’s below-par form during Gillespie’s tenure.
“Babar is a very driven individual. He works so hard on his game; he’s an elite player. A fantastic player, one of the best players I’ve been fortunate enough to work with,” he stated.
Jason Gillespie highlighted Babar’s intense dedication during practice sessions, noting that he consistently pushes himself to meet high training standards.
“I really enjoyed working with him. He sets high standards, not only for himself but also for his teammates,” he added.
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“It’s almost like he expects the same standards of everyone that he sets himself. He trains incredibly hard and keeps himself incredibly fit, robust, and strong.
“He works tirelessly on his game, whether it be his batting, his fielding, or even his offices [off-spin bowling] in case he’s called up to bowl. He’s a great cricket tragic and a great team man who works incredibly hard.”
When questioned about the circumstances surrounding Babar’s removal from the Test team during his tenure,
Gillespie clarified that he played no role in the decision to drop Babar Azam after the first Test against England. He emphasized that this decision was entirely made by the selection committee without his input.
“The decision was made by the selectors [to drop him], I had been removed from that process, and the decision was made to not play him [against England],” he concluded.
It’s worth noting that Jason Gillespie started his tenure as Pakistan head coach with the home Test series defeat against Bangladesh. However, in his second assignment, Pakistan bounced back and defeated England 2-1.
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