Gary Kirsten Unhappy with Mohammad Rizwan as Pakistan’s New Captain
In a surprising turn of events, former cricketer Basit Ali revealed that Gary Kirsten was not pleased with Mohammad Rizwan’s appointment as the captain of Pakistan’s white-ball cricket team. Kirsten, who recently resigned as the T20I and ODI coach, had preferred a different player to lead the team. This change comes amidst significant shifts in Pakistan cricket, including the appointment of Jason Gillespie as the new all-format head coach.
Rizwan Takes Over as Captain
Mohammad Rizwan was named the new white-ball captain, succeeding Babar Azam. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced Rizwan’s leadership for the upcoming series against Australia and Zimbabwe. Salam Ali Agha has been appointed as Rizwan’s deputy for these tours.
Kirsten’s Resignation
Gary Kirsten’s resignation was accepted by the PCB shortly after Rizwan’s appointment. Kirsten, who believed he had full authority over team decisions, was surprised by the PCB’s choice. His tenure ended without managing a single ODI match, despite his expertise in the format. Kirsten’s main task was the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, where Pakistan exited early after losses to India and the USA.
Doubts Revealed
Gary Kirsten -: Gary Kirsten is a former cricketer from South Africa who has also worked as a coach for various cricket teams, including the Indian national team.
Mohammad Rizwan -: Mohammad Rizwan is a Pakistani cricketer who plays as a wicketkeeper-batsman and has been appointed as the captain for Pakistan’s white-ball cricket team.
White-ball captain -: In cricket, ‘white-ball’ refers to limited-overs formats like One Day Internationals (ODIs) and Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is), where a white ball is used instead of the traditional red ball.
Babar Azam -: Babar Azam is a famous Pakistani cricketer known for his excellent batting skills and was the previous captain of Pakistan’s white-ball cricket team.
Salam Ali Agha -: Salam Ali Agha is a cricketer who has been appointed as the vice-captain, or deputy, to Mohammad Rizwan for the upcoming cricket tours.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) -: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is the organization responsible for managing and organizing cricket activities in Pakistan.
Jason Gillespie -: Jason Gillespie is a former Australian cricketer who has been appointed as the head coach for all formats of the Pakistan cricket team.
ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 -: The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is a global cricket tournament organized by the International Cricket Council (ICC), where teams from different countries compete in the T20 format.