Jason Gillespie resigned as head coach of Pakistan’s Test team, and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) appointed Aqib Javed as interim head coach of the red-ball team.
Gillespie’s tenure concluded successfully, with Pakistan overturning a 1-0 deficit to win a three-match T20I series against England in October. Pakistan is now engaged in a three-match T20I series against South Africa, followed by an equal number of ODIs. The two-match series will commence on Boxing Day at Centurion.
Aqib Javed’s initial challenge as interim head coach will be during the two-match Test series in South Africa, which is part of Pakistan’s ongoing all-format tour. The first Test is slated to run from December 26 to 30 at the SuperSport Park in Centurion, and the second Test is scheduled for January 3 to 7 at the Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town.
Read: Jason Gillespie Resigns as Pakistan’s Red-Ball Coach
Despite being out of the running for next year’s World Test Championship (WTC) Final, Pakistan currently holds the seventh position in the ICC World Test Championship points table, with four more Tests remaining in this cycle. Meanwhile, South Africa, which recently secured a 2-0 victory over Sri Lanka, leads the points table and is a strong contender for the summit clash.
Aqib Javed’s appointment is critical for the Pakistani squad, which is aiming to climb the Test championship ranks and rebuild momentum under new leadership.
