"Gary Kirsten wanted a different player to lead": Basit Ali after former South African's resignation as Pakistan coach

Gary Kirsten (Pic: X/@RichKettle07)

Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali said that Gary Kirsten was annoyed after Mohammad Rizwan was appointed as the team's white-ball captain, as he had some other player's name for the position.

After Rizwan's appointment as the captain in the limited overs, Pakistan faced a setback as Gary Kirsten stepped down from the T20I and ODI coach's position. Following the matter, Jason Gillespie, who joined as the red-ball coach at the same time as Kirsten, recently led the team to a historic Test series victory over England, Pakistan's first at home since 2021.

Basit Ali further stated that Gary Kirsten had believed that he had full authority for such decisions and would have suggested some other player's name outside the current limited-overs setup to lead Pakistan.

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"It all started when Rizwan was made captain. Kirsten wanted a different player to lead, someone who wasn't in the current side. He thought he had full authority, but he doesn't realise that in our country, the PCB chairman can change overnight," Basit Ali said on his YouTube channel.

Mohammad Rizwan succeeded Babar Azam as Pakistan's captain after the PCB announced squads for the Australia and Zimbabwe series.

The experienced wicketkeeper will now lead the side in white-ball cricket, with Salam Ali Agha named his deputy for the upcoming away tours.

Within 24 hours of Rizwan's appointment, the PCB confirmed Kirsten's resignation, marking the end of his six-month tenure without having managed Pakistan in a single ODI match, a format in which he holds significant expertise.

Kirsten's main assignment had been the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 in the West Indies and USA, where Pakistan faced an early exit in the group stage after losses to India and the USA.

Gary Kirsten was the head coach of Team India when the side managed to lift the ODI World Cup 2011.

(With ANI Inputs)