Veteran cricketer and former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has shared his thoughts on Jason Gillespie’s appointment as the Test coach for the Pakistan cricket team, highlighting the former pacer’s impressive track record with various teams throughout his coaching career.
Speaking about Gillespie’s role, Ponting drew a parallel between his former teammate and India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir, noting that Gillespie has consistently delivered strong results wherever he has coached. “Gillespie is a bit like Gautam Gambhir. Everywhere he has been, his coaching record has been exceptional. He will undoubtedly face some challenges, but he is a deep thinker and a quiet individual who goes about his work in his own way,” Ponting remarked.
Gillespie was appointed as Pakistan’s red-ball coach ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024, with his first major assignment being the upcoming two-Test series against Bangladesh. Ponting mentioned that their group of former teammates, who stay in touch via WhatsApp, had all congratulated Gillespie and wished him success in his new role with the Pakistan team.
Ponting also touched on the significant changes in Pakistan’s coaching setup following their disappointing performance in the T20 World Cup, where the team, led by Babar Azam, faced a shocking exit in the group stage. “Honestly, I’m not surprised by the amount of changes in the group. While it’s a different format, their T20 World Cup performance was disappointing. If you’re not willing to make some changes, you’re likely to get the same results,” Ponting added.
Squads:
Bangladesh: Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Zakir Hasan, Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Kumar Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Nahid Rana, Shoriful Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Taskin Ahmed, Syed Khaled Ahmed
Pakistan: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Aamir Jamal (subject to fitness), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicket-keeper), Shaheen Shah Afridi.
