Aqib Javed appointed interim red-ball coach after Gillespie’s resignation

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has named Aqib Javed as the interim red ball head coach following the resignation of red ball head coach Jason Gillespie ahead of the South Africa Test series, the cricket governing body confirmed in a statement on Thursday.

According to media reports, Gillespie’s decision came after the PCB decided against renewing the contract of red ball assistant coach Tim Nelson, after which he was tipped to take early retirement.

In a statement, a PCB spokesperson said that Aqib’s first responsibility as red ball head coach will be the Pakistan men’s team’s two-match Test series against South Africa.

The first Test is scheduled at SuperSport Park in Centurion from December 26 to 30 and the second Test will be played at Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town from January 3 to 7 next year.

The Pakistan men’s team is currently playing a three-match T20I series in South Africa followed by a three-match ODI series.

Nelson, who was appointed as the high-performance red-ball coach in August, saw his contract expire after the Green Shirts’ recent tour of Australia.

The assistant coach revealed that the cricket body told him that his services were no longer required despite his commitment to the upcoming South Africa and West Indies series.

Gillespie told the board that his decision not to travel to South Africa was due to personal reasons. The head coach was due to arrive in the country yesterday (Friday) to oversee the pre-Test camp.