Jason Gillespie has stepped down as the head coach of Pakistan’s Test cricket team after refusing to join the squad for their tour of South Africa. The decision came amid ongoing disagreements with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

Gillespie, a former Australian fast bowler, had been appointed as Pakistan’s Test coach on a two-year contract back in April. At the same time, Gary Kirsten, a former South African opener, was brought in as the white-ball coach. However, Kirsten also resigned in October due to similar issues with the PCB.

The PCB confirmed Gillespie’s resignation and announced that Aaqib Javed, a former Pakistan fast bowler, will step in as the interim head coach for red-ball cricket. Aaqib, who had already replaced Kirsten as interim white-ball coach, will now lead the team during their two-Test series in South Africa. The first Test is scheduled to begin on December 26 in Centurion, followed by the second Test in Cape Town from January 3 to January 7.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s white-ball squad is currently in South Africa for a series of three T20 matches and three one-day internationals.

Gillespie’s tenure with Pakistan faced challenges even before his resignation. He was removed from the selection panel after Pakistan suffered a 2-0 defeat against Bangladesh in September and then lost the first Test to England by an innings. While Pakistan managed to bounce back and win the series against England 2-1 on spinning tracks, Gillespie openly expressed his frustration with the situation.

In an interview during the second England Test, Gillespie admitted that things weren’t going as he had hoped. “I’ll be honest; this wasn’t what I signed up for,” he said. His frustrations were further fueled when the PCB chose not to renew the contract of his assistant coach, Tim Nielsen.

After the England series, Gillespie briefly served as Pakistan’s white-ball coach during their tour of Australia but wasn’t assigned for the following series in Zimbabwe. This inconsistency appeared to add to his dissatisfaction.

Pakistan’s coaching setup has seen frequent changes over the years, with six different head coaches across formats in just the last four years. This history of instability has made it challenging for long-term strategies to take shape within the team.

Now, Aaqib Javed takes on the responsibility of guiding Pakistan’s Test squad during this transitional period, while fans hope for better results and stability moving forward.