Jason Gillespie Archives

Jason Gillespie opens up on Kamran Ghulam’s exclusion from Test squad

FAISALABAD: Pakistan’s Test head coach Jason Gillespie on Wednesday, broke silence over Kamran Ghulam’s absence from the Pakistan squad for the upcoming Test series against England.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday, announced a 15-member squad for the first Test against England, which marked the return of fast bowling all-rounder Aamir Jamal and left-arm spinner Noman Ali.

Meanwhile, Kamran Ghulam, despite being a consistent performer in the domestic circuit, was left out of the squad. He alongside Mohammad Ali and injured Khurram Shahzad was a part of the Pakistan squad for Bangladesh Tests.

“Kamran Ghulam and Mohammad Ali, who were part of the squad for the Bangladesh Tests, remain firmly in the selectors’ plans,” said PCB in a statement.

“However, due to the selection policy’s emphasis on consistency and continuity, and the belief that 15 players are sufficient for a Test, they have been advised and encouraged to continue representing their teams in the Champions One-Day Cup and the President’s Cup, starting on 3 October, to ensure they stay match-ready through competitive cricket,” the statement added.

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Ghulam’s exclusion turned heads and fans questioned the selection criteria for the national team.

Consequently, during the Champions One-Day Cup Eliminator 1 between Lions and Stallions, former cricketer Salman Butt asked Jason Gillespie to share his views on Kamran Ghulam’s exclusion during the commentary.

“Tell us about Kamran Ghulam. He’s not in the squad for the first Test even after scoring heaps of runs,” asked Butt.

In response, Gillespie acknowledged Ghulam’s performances in domestic cricket and also for Pakistan Shaheens on their tour to Darwin but emphasized showing faith in the current squad.

“I saw him perform with Pakistan Shaheens in Darwin. His form has been acknowledged, but we’re showing faith and patience in our current squad,” said Gillespie.

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Team ‘unity’ among key points discussed in Connection Camp

LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Salman Naseer shared that team unity was one of the key points that came under discussion during the recently concluded Connection Camp here at Gaddafi Stadium on Monday.

Naseer, addressing the media here, revealed that the idea behind calling the high-profile meeting, dubbed Connection Camp, was to resolve the issues ahead of the national team’s busy schedule.

The PCB COO acknowledged a dip in the performance of not just the national team but also of the management before revealing the talking points of the discussion including unity and collaboration.

“We have a hectic schedule, and it was the right moment to sit together and discuss matters,” said Naseer.

“There were three to four important things on which we did brainstorming and I think it was the need of the hour as we all know that the performance of either players or management can be improvised.

“Another idea [behind the Connection Camp] was that we sit together to identify the issues, things which can be improved and also our vision and what steps are needed to achieve it.

“So, we built a roadmap on how we can reignite our excellence and what steps are necessary to achieve success.

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“It was an open and transparent session, during which we got to talk to each other with utmost honesty and discussed unity, collaboration and how we can improve our communication.”

When asked whether he acknowledges that there was a lack of unity in the team, Salman Naseer shared that the Connection Camp was held in this regard as well.

“Today’s session was held in this regard as well so that we can openly, sincerely and candidly accept, identify and ask for commitment from each other and make demands so that we can improve our performance and also on how we need to work together as a team since it is a team sport.”

On the other hand, Pakistan’s white-ball head coach Gary Kirsten termed Connection Camp a success before asserting that the stakeholders have largely achieved the purpose of the gathering.

“The connection camp was brilliant. We spoke about supporting each other, and I believe we’ve largely achieved the purpose of this gathering. Everyone has shown a real commitment to restore the pride of Pakistan cricket,” Kirsten said.

Pakistan red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie backed Kirsten’s remarks and termed the Connection Camp a wonderful opportunity.

“It was a wonderful opportunity to sit down together. We need to connect with each other, and this was the right time to do so,” Gillespie said.

READ: PCB charges Lions for slow over-rate in Champions Cup

Jason Gillespie backs Shan Masood despite Bangladesh series loss

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie has backed Shan Masood as captain despite the humiliating series loss against Bangladesh.

The visitors defeated Pakistan by six wickets in the second Test match to complete the clean sweep and win their first-ever series against the Green Shirts.

Pakistan dropped pace bowlers Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah from the line-up for the second Test and Gillespie defended the decision, calling it a strategic call considering the conditions.

“We felt that the attack we put on the park would be able to do the job. We could argue they did when we had the opposition 26/6 but they [Bangladesh] fought themselves back into the game,” said Gillespie.

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“We looked at the conditions, saw the surface here, and thought this was the best make-up of the bowling attack to take wickets on this surface,” he added.

Jason Gillespie also threw his weight behind Shan Masood, however, he acknowledged that the team failed to perform as a unit.

“Shan I feel has led the side very well. We just haven’t played well as a team and that’s the reality,” he stated. “We need to sharpen up on certain areas, and we will sharpen up.”

“I really want to back and believe in these players, they are good enough and have shown glimpses of how good we are. We just need to do it more often and consistently,” he added.

READ: Zaka Ashraf refutes rumours of rift between Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi

Jason Gillespie to depart for Australia after Pakistan-Bangladesh series

Jason Gillespie, the red-ball head coach of Pakistan, is set to depart for Australia after the conclusion of the second and final Test against Bangladesh, according to sources.

Gillespie, along with the team’s high-performance coach Tim Nielsen, is scheduled to leave Pakistan on Wednesday (tomorrow).

The second Test between Pakistan and Bangladesh is currently underway in Rawalpindi, where the hosts are on the cusp of a historic clean sweep.

Prior to this series, Bangladesh had never defeated Pakistan in a Test match.

Meanwhile, Jason Gillespie and Tim Nielsen will return to Pakistan ahead of the pre-series training camp for the series against England.

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England will tour Pakistan for a three-match Test series, scheduled to run from October 7 to 24 with matches scheduled in Multan, Karachi and Rawalpindi respectively.

Meanwhile, the training camp is likely to start on October 1, as revealed by the sources.

It’s worth noting that team physio Cliff Deacon and strength and conditioning coach Dreks Simon will stay in Pakistan.

Deacon and Simon will conduct fitness tests of the national team’s players ahead of the upcoming Champions One-Day Cup.

The Champions One-Day Cup is scheduled to be played from 12-29 September at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad.

The Champions One-Day Cup will feature the country’s 150 best of the best cricketers. This will be a 50-over tournament that will be played in a single-league format.

READ: “We have a game to win tomorrow,” believes Jason Gillespie

“We have a game to win tomorrow,” believes Jason Gillespie

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan’s Test head coach Jason Gillespie shared that the national men’s team will give their “best shot” to secure a victory over Bangladesh on the final day of the ongoing second Test here at Pindi Cricket Stadium.

Bangladesh are 42/0 in pursuit of a modest 185-run target. The touring side will have an entire day and all 10 wickets to score 143 more runs and secure their first-ever Test series victory over Pakistan.

However, Jason Gillespie, who addressed the media after an eventful fourth day of the second Test, acknowledged that Pakistan are lacking in a few areas but expressed his confidence in the players’ ability before stating that they will give their best shot to snatch victory from Bangladesh.

“We are lacking in a few areas but hopefully, we will address those issues soon. I think there’s a lot of quality in that dressing room of Pakistan, and the boys are working really well. I know they can develop into match-winners for Pakistan,” Gillespie stated.

“This Test match is evidence that our players can perform in Test cricket. I liked the conditions for this Test match, and all of them will have my back going forward. We have a game to win tomorrow, and we will try to give it our best shot,” he said.

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Jason Gillespie then went on to call for a positive mindset in the bowling department while also acknowledging that the batters need to improvise shot selection.

“We know that we can have an impact with the ball if we bowl in the right areas. If we walk out there and expect to lose, then we will definitely lose. We need to go out there with a positive attitude,” stated Gillespie.

“Our shot selection is something that we continue to talk about. We just need to make sure that our batters choose the right balls to attack,” he concluded.

It is worth mentioning here that Bangladesh lead the two-match series 1-0, courtesy of their 10-wicket victory over Pakistan in the opening fixture at the same venue.

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Pakistan head coach reveals why Shaheen Afridi was left out of second Bangladesh Test

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie shed light on the decision to leave out pace bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi from the lineup for the second Test against Bangladesh.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) unveiled the 12-member squad on Thursday which will form their Playing XI for the must-win second and final Test against Bangladesh.

Shaheen Afridi was a notable omission from the lineup along with wicketkeeper Sarfaraz Ahmed as well as uncapped batters Kamran Ghulam and Muhammad Hurraira.

Jason Gillespie, during a press conference in Rawalpindi, revealed the reason behind the decision to exclude Shaheen, labelling it a strategic decision.

“I had a good conversation with him [Shaheen Afridi], and he fully understands and appreciates the reasoning behind this decision. We’re looking for the best combination for this game, and this is our direction,” Gillespie said.

The Australian also mentioned that Shaheen has been given feedback on his bowling and will be working on improving it.

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Additionally, the left-arm pacer will be able to take some much-needed rest and spend quality time with his family, especially since his wife recently gave birth to a baby boy.

“Shaheen has received some feedback, and he’s had an interesting couple of weeks—he’s a new father, he’s playing all three formats, and we’re seeing an opportunity to allow him to spend time with his family as well,” he added.

Jason Gillespie also recognized the importance of Shaheen as a crucial bowler for Pakistan. He emphasized the need for Shaheen to perform at his peak, especially with Pakistan’s busy cricket schedule in the coming months.

“He’s working on a few aspects of his bowling to ensure he’s as fit as possible. He’s been collaborating well with Azhar Mahmood, which has been fantastic,” Jason shared.

“We certainly want to see Shaheen at his best because we have a lot of cricket ahead in all formats, and he’s going to play a big role in that.

“Make no mistake, Shaheen is a quality player and will play a significant role in the next 6-7 months.”

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Jason Gillespie claims having two specialist spinners in Pakistan squad for Bangladesh series

Pakistan’s Test head coach Jason Gillespie debunked claims of selecting only one specialist spinner Abrar Ahmed for the upcoming two-match home series against Bangladesh, commencing on August 21.

Gillespie emphasized that the Pakistan squad looks well-balanced and termed Abrar as a promising young talent before going on to assert claiming Salman Ali Agha as a specialist spinner as well.

“You can look into whatever you want. But to start, I think we’ve got two special spinners. Salman Ali Agha is good enough to be classified as a specialist spinner. From what I’ve seen, he has a lot of potential with his off-spin. Abrar (Ahmed), obviously, is a fine young bowler in the early stages of his career,” stated Gillespie.

Pakistan head coach Jason Gillespie then went on to claim that the squad has its all bases covered and also that it is an exciting time for the national team.

“So, I think we’ve covered a lot of bases. We have a lot of seam bowling options and spin bowling options. Our batting is varied as well. I believe we have all bases covered, and it’s a very exciting time for the Pakistan Test side,” Jason Gillespie added.

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According to the sources, the pitch of the Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi, is expected to have some grass on it and thus would be favourable for the pacers.

Consequently, Pakistan would likely go with four pacers Mir Hamza, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah and fourth would be either Aamer Jamal or Khurram Shehzad while Abrar Ahmed and Salman Ali Agha would form the spin attack.

“A grassy pitch is being prepared for the Rawalpindi Test,” Abrar confirmed earlier today.

“I took wickets on grassy pitches in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy,” he added.

Pakistan squad for Test series against Bangladesh

Shan Masood (c), Saud Shakeel (vc), Aamir Jamal (subject to Fitness), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicket-keeper) and Shaheen Shah Afridi.

READ: “Management’s call,” Abrar Ahmed on playing in Bangladesh Tests

Jason Gillespie invites Arshad Nadeem to visit Pakistan dressing room

Red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie has extended a heartfelt invitation to Olympic gold medalist Arshad Nadeem to visit the Pakistan cricket team’s dressing room.

Arshad made history at the recently concluded Paris Olympics as he became the first Pakistani to win an individual Olympic Gold medal.

In the final of the Men’s Javelin Throw, Arshad shocked the world with his massive throw of 92.97m, the new Olympic record, which was enough for him to seal the Gold medal.

Gillespie, during an appearance on the PCB podcast, invited Arshad to the dressing room, while expressing admiration for the athlete.

“We would love to invite Arshad Nadeem to the dressing room as well. I saw all the Shaheens cheering him on during the Olympics,” said Gillespie.

“Having him visit and share his gold medal with the team would be a fantastic boost, especially with the Olympic spirit still in the air. It was a wonderful moment, and we extend an open invitation for him to visit the dressing room,” he added.

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Pakistan captain Shan Masood, who was also present on the podcast, expressed pride in Arshad’s historic achievement.

“Arshad Nadeem has made us all emotional. Seeing him on the podium waving the flag and ringing the Olympic bell was incredible,” said Masood.

“He deserves all the recognition he’s getting and is a national hero. His achievements highlight the talent in Pakistan, and we’re all proud of him,” he added.

Notably, the upcoming series between Pakistan and Bangladesh will be the first assignment of Jason Gillespie as the red-ball head coach.

The series is part of the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25, with the first Test commencing at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from 21-25 August.

The second Test match will be played at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi from 30 August to 3 September.

READ: Pakistan, Bangladesh to play Karachi Test without spectators

Ricky Ponting backs Jason Gillespie as head coach of Pakistan Test team

Legendary Australian captain Ricky Ponting has thrown his weight behind his former teammate Jason Gillespie as the red-ball head coach of the Pakistan cricket team.

Gillespie was appointed as the head coach of Pakistan’s Test team in April and the upcoming series against Bangladesh will be his first assignment in the role.

The series against Bangladesh will be followed by Tests against England (at home in October) and South Africa (away in December) in the 2024-25 season.

Ricky Ponting spoke highly of Gillespie, commending his coaching credentials and drawing comparisons with the newly appointed Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir.

“Jason Gillespie is a bit like Gautam Gambhir. Pretty much everywhere he has been, his coaching record has been very very good,” said Ponting.

“He will have some challenges I got no doubt about it. But he is a deep thinker and as I said, a quiet person that goes about it in his own way.”

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The former captain revealed that former Australian players had congratulated Gillespie on his appointment with the Pakistan team.

“We’ve got a few WhatsApp groups over the years, all of us old guys that have played together. So everyone’s congratulated him [Gillespie] and wished him luck in that role,” he said.

Ponting highlighted Pakistan’s underwhelming performance in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. He welcomed the recent changes in the coaching staff, emphasizing the importance of these changes in order to improve team performance.

“And look, to be honest, I am not surprised at all by the amount of changes in that group. I know it is a different format but they had a very disappointing T20 World Cup. If you are not willing to make some changes, you’re expecting similar results to come your way,” he added.

Notably, The series between Pakistan and Bangladesh is a part of the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25, with the first Test commencing at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from 21-25 August.

The second Test match will be played at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi from 30 August to 3 September.

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Jason Gillespie rates Pakistan Shaheens’ performance in red-ball series

Pakistan’s newly-appointed Test coach Jason Gillespie shared his insights on Pakistan Shaheens’ performance in the two-match red ball series against Bangladesh A in Northern Territory, Darwin.

The two-match red-ball series between Shaheens and Bangladesh A culminated here on Monday, with the latter securing a narrow four-run victory on the final day of the second four-day match.

Earlier, Pakistan Shaheens registered an emphatic victory in the first four-day fixture to kick off a triumphant start to the tour.

In a video released by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Pakistan’s Test coach Jason Gillespie shared it was a mixed bag for the side as they won and lost one match each but emphasized the experience Shaheens’ players gathered amid the tour.

“It has been a wonderful experience for all the Shaheens players. We certainly learned a lot. It was a great opportunity for me to get to know the guys, see how they approach training, preparation, teamwork, and their work on the field. It’s been a real learning curve for me. I think the players have certainly benefited from this opportunity,” he said.

“That’s what the Shaheens is about—getting out there in foreign conditions against different opposition and being able to test their skills in this environment,” he added.

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Jason Gillespie then went on to highlight the flaws in Pakistan Shaheens’ batting and bowling which resulted in them losing the second fixture.

“While there are plenty of lessons to learn from this game, our top seven batters did not quite deliver as expected. In both innings, four of our top seven got starts, but none managed to go on and achieve a really big score,” Gillespie said.

“Similarly, our partnerships were middling, with several in the forties and fifties, but we lacked those substantial partnerships that put the opposition under real pressure and drive the game forward. These are key areas for our batters to focus on, encouraging them to stay busy and shift the pressure back onto the opposition.

“We didn’t execute our plans as effectively as we could have in this game. Despite these challenges, it was a great experience getting to know the players and staff, who are a fantastic group of people.”

Following the two-match red-ball series against Bangladesh A, Pakistan Shaheens will now feature in a tri-series with the Northern Territory side and Bangladesh in Darwin. They will also participate in the nine-team Top End T20 Series.

Remember, Pakistan’s red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie’s stint with Pakistan Shaheens was until the red-ball series against Bangladesh A.

The former Australia cricketer will now gear up for his first international assignment as Pakistan are set to host Bangladesh for a two-match home Test series, scheduled to run from August 21 to September 3.

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