‘No control, no impact’: Kirsten breaks silence on Pakistan exit

Former South Africa opener and celebrated coach Gary Kirsten has offered a frank assessment of his ill-fated tenure as Pakistan's white-ball head coach, revealing he felt sidelined from the outset and unable to effect meaningful change in a dysfunctional system.

Speaking on the Wisden Cricket Patreon podcast, Kirsten lifted the lid on the internal fractures that led to his resignation just months into the role. Appointed in April 2024 amid much fanfare-- alongside Jason Gillespie, who took over the Test reins-- Kirsten said he quickly recognised the limits of his authority within the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) setup.

"Cricket teams need to be run by cricket people," Kirsten said, adding: "Once I was taken off selection and asked to take a team I hadn't helped shape, it became very difficult to have any sort of positive influence."

His remarks point to deep-rooted issues in Pakistan cricket's governance, particularly around blurred lines of responsibility and a lack of autonomy for coaching staff. The PCB had initially projected the appointments of Kirsten and Gillespie as part of a professional overhaul, but cracks soon appeared.

Kirsten stepped down in October 2024-- a day after squads were named for white-ball tours of Australia and Zimbabwe, with neither Kirsten nor Gillespie involved in the selection. The exclusion of the foreign coaching duo from key cricketing decisions marked a significant erosion of their influence.

"It was a tumultuous few months," Kirsten said. "I realised quite quickly I wasn't going to have much of an influence. When there's a lot of outside noise — very influential noise — it becomes impossible to lead a team in the right direction."

Gillespie would also leave the job weeks later, resigning ahead of Pakistan's home series against South Africa. His decision was linked to the PCB's controversial removal of high-performance coach Tim Nielsen — a move he said left "a sour taste."

Despite the disheartening experience, Kirsten reserved praise for the players he briefly worked with, describing them as passionate and pressure-laden professionals. He hinted at a possible return under better terms.

"If I got invited back to Pakistan tomorrow, I would go-- but I'd want to go for the players, and under the right circumstances," he said. "I love the Pakistan players. They're great guys. More than any other team, they feel the pressure of performance massively. When they lose, it's hectic — and they feel that."

The episode is the latest in a pattern of high-profile departures from Pakistan's coaching ranks, often triggered by unclear mandates, shifting power dynamics, and external interference.

"I'm too old now to be dealing with other agendas," Kirsten said. "I just want to coach a team, work with players. When there's no interference and you have a talented group, you're generally going to have success."

In the wake of Kirsten's departure, former pacer Aaqib Javed briefly served as interim coach before New Zealand's Mike Hesson was named as the permanent white-ball head coach earlier this year.