Gillespie slams Pakistan selectors after mid-series overhaul

Jason Gillespie speaks during a press conference after Pakistan's heavy defeat in the second Test against England at Lord's.

Former Pakistan coach Jason Gillespie has hit out at the country's selection setup after the Pakistan Cricket Board overhauled the squad and coaching staff midway through the Test series against England. Gillespie, who coached Pakistan for eight months in 2024, said the latest upheaval reflected a lack of stability off the field and accused chairman of selectors Aaqib Javed of presiding over a process that leaves players uncertain and anxious.

Pakistan sent seven players home from the England tour after consecutive heavy defeats at Headingley and Lord's, while also removing head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul. The sweeping changes came before the third Test in Birmingham and drew sharp criticism from Gillespie, who said the constant churn was undermining confidence within the group.

"It's pretty clear they don't have a selection strategy at all, particularly under Aaqib Javed," Gillespie said. "They change their mind like they change their pants – daily." He added that Javed had recently blamed him and former white-ball coach Gary Kirsten for Pakistan's struggles, despite no longer being involved with the team. "Aaqib has been chairman of selectors for the past two years. We haven't even been there. Somehow he claims it is our fault. Make sense out of that. I think Javed needs to look at himself in the mirror."

Gillespie also questioned the communication between the selection committee and the players, claiming some of those sent home from England only found out through family, friends or the media. He pointed to the case of Salman Ali Agha, who captained the side in the first Test, was dropped for the second, and then included among the players released before the third. "How does that make sense?" he asked, adding that such treatment left players "playing with fear" rather than with clarity about their roles.

The PCB's decision to replace almost half the touring party and the entire senior coaching group during an active series has intensified scrutiny on Javed's leadership of the selection process. Gillespie said the lack of a coherent plan was evident in the frequency of changes and the public manner in which some players learned of their fate.

Pakistan face the third Test in Birmingham with a reshaped squad and a new coaching structure under Mike Hesson. Gillespie's comments underscore the wider debate over whether the mid-series reset will stabilise the team or further entrench a culture of uncertainty around selection and communication