2011 World Cup-winning coach Gary Kirsten has been appointed as the new head coach of the Pakistan cricket team in the white-ball formats (ODIs and T20Is). The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) made the announcement on Sunday, April 28.
Kirsten, a great batsman for South Africa during the 1990s, was the head coach of the Indian cricket team between 2008 to 2011, helping India win the 2011 World Cup at home.
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Currently with Gujarat Titans (GT) as their batting coach in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Kirsten will take over the reins in May. Meanwhile, Jason Gillespie, the former Australian fast bowler, will be in charge of the Test team.
"Their stellar track records precede them, and I warmly welcome them to the Pakistan cricket family," PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi stated during the official announcement at a press conference in Lahore on Sunday.
"Jason's coaching career has been marked by success both at the domestic and international levels, with a focus on player development and achieving excellence in team performance. Gary's coaching career has been marked by his ability to instill a winning mentality, develop young talent, and achieve success at the highest levels of the game, making him one of the most respected and sought-after coaches in cricket."
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Indian fans react to Gary Kirsten's appointment as Pakistan coach
As good as Kirsten's coaching record is, the announcement that he would be joining Pakistan as their head coach as caught the attention of the Indian fans on social media.
Here are some of the best reactions on X (formerly Twitter):
Unreal downfall for Garry kirstern
— ankanmitra (@ankanmitra6) April 28, 2024
gary kirsten and Gillespie After being the coach of Pakistan for 1 month 🤣🤣👇#PakistanCricket https://t.co/DPbIF0EYga pic.twitter.com/eVpgr0r5ag
— CricJigyasa (@CricJigyasa) April 28, 2024
My sympathies @Gary_Kirsten and #JasonGillespie https://t.co/e1PXstezbo
— Abhi-Shake (@abhirichhariya) April 28, 2024
This is the beginning of the Downfall of Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie's Coaching Career
— Dwayne_Texeira🇮🇳 (@Dwayne_AT) April 28, 2024
Which game will mark the beginning of Gary Kirsten's coaching tenure with Pakistan?
While there has been no definite indication of when Kirsten will take over, it is expected that his first coaching assignment will be the four-match T20I series against England in England, which begins on May 22.
Azhar Mahmood, who was the Pakistan head coach for the recently-concluded T20I series against New Zealand, will continue as an assistant coach in all three formats.
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