Former Pakistan national Test head coach and renowned Australian fast bowler Jason Gillespie says the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) still owes him thousands of dollars.
Gillespie, who was appointed head coach of Pakistan’s Test team in April 2024, resigned from the position eight months later, in December of the same year.
In recent comments, Gillespie said he had been aware of the unstable and chaotic situation surrounding Pakistan cricket beforehand, but wanted to gain a new coaching experience with a major international team.
Gillespie said that after Aqib Javed became chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board’s selection committee, his working relationship with Pakistan cricket changed fundamentally.
According to him, when he went to Pakistan, he was told that he would help revive the country’s former reputation for producing fast bowlers and that Test venues would be prepared in a way that would allow fast bowlers to have a greater impact.
However, Gillespie said that after Aqib Javed’s appointment, his authority was restricted.
He added that Aqib Javed interfered in many areas, leaving him in a situation where he no longer had a significant role in managing the team, dealing with players and staff, or even in selection matters.
Gillespie said working with the Pakistan Cricket Board also placed him under psychological pressure and even made him question his future in coaching.
He accused Aqib Javed of undermining and belittling him, saying that no environment of cooperation had been created between the two.
According to Gillespie, Aqib Javed wanted to demonstrate that all authority was in his hands. He said the chairman of the selection committee did not accept the views of others and adopted a “my way or no way” approach.
Gillespie also rejected criticism that he and former Pakistan white-ball coach Gary Kirsten did not spend enough time in Pakistan.
He said that decisions regarding their contracts were not Aqib Javed’s responsibility, and that both coaches were prepared to spend time in Pakistan for training camps, watching domestic matches, and preparing for upcoming games.
However, according to him, when coaching duties are divided between two coaches and there are no matches scheduled during a particular period, it is natural for foreign coaches to return to their home countries to take a break.
Gillespie said he had admired and respected former Pakistani fast bowlers, particularly Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Aqib Javed, since childhood.
However, he said that after working closely with Aqib Javed, his opinion of him changed.
Gillespie also advised Pakistan’s current white-ball coach, Mike Hesson, to stand by his principles amid the current situation in Pakistan cricket.
He said, “Trust your instincts and don’t become a yes-man.”
Gillespie said Hesson is a good coach and expressed hope that he would not become involved in the chaos surrounding Pakistan cricket merely for the sake of receiving his salary.
The former Australian cricketer said the Pakistan Cricket Board still owes him thousands of dollars in unpaid salary and other financial entitlements.
However, he stressed that he did not want to accept all of the board’s demands simply to receive his money.
According to Gillespie, he could have remained silent, agreed with every decision, collected his salary and continued in his position; however, he said that doing so would have gone against his character and principles.
Gillespie added that for much of his eight-month tenure, there were efforts to undermine him and remove him from his position.
He said that some people within Pakistan cricket had told him that Aqib Javed was speaking against him behind his back and was trying to bring in his replacement.
Gillespie warned that if negative statements about him continued, he might also consider taking legal action.
Gillespie described the current state of Pakistan cricket as chaotic and said that Aqib Javed was the main cause of the problem.
He said that if Pakistan cricket wants to make progress, it needs strong leadership, professional coaches and a clear management structure.
According to him, the coach should be given the authority to build the team, make decisions regarding the captain, and be given an opportunity to rebuild the team over the long term.
Gillespie added that making decisions about the captain and other key technical matters from the offices of board officials is not an appropriate way to run cricket.
