Jason Gillespie, the head coach of Pakistan's cricket team, emphasized the need for "more ruthlessness" as the team prepares to face England. Pakistan's upcoming three-match Test series is set to begin on October 7, 2024.
This comes after a tough 2-0 loss to Bangladesh earlier this month. Despite leading in both Tests against Bangladesh, Pakistan failed to win, raising concerns about their performance.
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Gillespie, speaking in an interview, shared his views on how Pakistan can improve their game and what lessons they must take forward into the series against England.
What did Jason Gillespie say about preparing for England series?
Pakistan, under captain Shan Masood, struggled to maintain their lead during the series against Bangladesh. Gillespie pointed out that although the team played well with both bat and ball, they allowed Bangladesh to get back into the game at crucial moments.
For instance, in the first Test, Pakistan declared at 448-6 but still lost. In the second, Bangladesh was at 26-6 but managed to win with a brilliant century from Liton Das. Gillespie believes that Pakistan needs to stay ahead when they gain the advantage.
"What we need is a bit more ruthlessness. When we're ahead, we need to stay ahead and make sure we really drive home that advantage. That's the main takeaway from the Bangladesh series. There was some very good work done, but when we had a bad hour, it really set us back. We need to minimise those poor periods and maximize the good ones," said Jason Gillespie.
The Pakistan team has been under heavy criticism following their recent defeats. Gillespie, however, urged fans and critics to support the players during this challenging time.
He highlighted that the players are talented and need backing to perform at their best. Gillespie also discussed the importance of discipline, patience, and striking at the right moments. He believes that maintaining consistency will help the team achieve better results.
As Pakistan gears up to face England, Gillespie expressed excitement for the series but acknowledged the challenge. He believes that Pakistan matches up well against England but must stay focused on playing disciplined cricket.
"We know it's going to be a great challenge, and we're really looking forward to it. I've spoken to the players over the last little while and they love playing Test cricket for Pakistan. They take pride in representing their country and want to inspire the Pakistani supporters. They're excited to be playing Test cricket against England - that's a wonderful challenge," he added.
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England will be missing bowlers like James Anderson, Mark Wood, and Ollie Robinson. However, Gillespie stated that Pakistan must be prepared to play against the team selected, no matter who is absent. He emphasized the importance of preparing and playing to their strengths, especially with the series at home.
"We can only prepare to play against the players that England has selected. While some of their players might be a bit inexperienced, they've shown that they can perform at the Test level. We need to ensure that we are as well-prepared and focused as possible to go out and deliver our best. We're playing at home and we believe that we match up well against England. We're excited about the opportunity," he added.
Pakistan's recent performances have disappointed, but Gillespie remains optimistic about the team's future. He believes that with the right mindset, discipline, and ruthlessness, Pakistan can perform well against England.
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