Gillespie exposes rot in Pakistan cricket: They still owe me thousands of dollars

Former Pakistan head coach Jason Gillespie has hit out at the Pakistan Cricket Board yet again, accusing the governing body of undermining him during his short tenure in charge and questioning the direction Pakistan cricket is taking.

Speaking to The Telegraph, Gillespie said it was breaking his heart to see cricket in Pakistan and insisted he would continue to speak out against those in power despite the PCB still owing him thousands of dollars in unpaid wages.

Gillespie was sacked as Pakistan’s Test head coach in December 2024, less than a year after taking up the role. Nearly two years later, he says he’s still waiting for money owed to him by the board.

“PCB still owes me thousands of dollars, but I never became a supporter,” Gillespie said.

“I didn’t want to compromise my principles. I never did in my career and I certainly wasn’t going to change.”

The former cricketer claimed that he was sacked from his role for speaking his mind, which he always did during his cricketing career. Gillespie said he could have kept quiet and received his salary, but that would have been a disservice to the character and reputation he had built up over the years.

PAKISTAN’S TERRIBLE FALL

Gillespie’s latest comments come at a particularly difficult time for Pakistan cricket. The PCB recently launched an internal investigation amid the horrific collapse in the 3-match Test series against England. The Pakistani side lost back-to-back Test matches in the series, prompting the management to make sweeping changes in the team and team management.

Gillespie argued that the problems are not just about what happens on the pitch. The Australian believes the dysfunction in Pakistan cricket also extends to the way the team is managed, with his own experience leaving him deeply disappointed.

“I have been completely disrespected and undermined and I direct that towards Aaqib Javed,” Gillespie said.

“The whole experience just deflated me and put me off training.

“It affected me mentally, it made me doubt myself and made me wonder if I still wanted to be in the sport.”

GILLESPIE APPEARS WITH AAQIB JAVED

Gillespie said he initially took the Pakistan job believing he was being brought in as part of an attempt to revive the fast bowling culture there.

“When I joined, they wanted to bring back fast bowling. This was sold to me when I took over,” he said.

The plan, according to Gillespie, was to prepare pitches that offered more bounce and carry and create an environment in which Pakistan’s fast bowlers could thrive.

“I was on board and I thought, ‘This is going to be really cool,'” he said.

However, Gillespie believes the appointment of former Pakistan fast bowler Aaqib Javed as selector has fundamentally changed his position in the squad.

“The appointment of Javed fundamentally changed the landscape. From that moment my relationship with Pakistan cricket changed completely,” he said.

“Aaqib came in and took over. I felt like he was in charge of everything.

Gillespie said his duties were gradually relieved. After initially being involved in the management of the Test squad, players and staff and having a say in selection, he found himself increasingly removed from key decisions.

“I went from looking after the Test side, managing it and looking after the players and staff and a role in selection to absolutely no role in anything,” he said.

The Australian’s relationship with the PCB eventually deteriorated to the point where he left his position, but his frustration with Javed remained.

‘AAQIB KEPT HIS JOB’

In a separate podcast, Gillespie focused on Javed’s continued influence in Pakistan cricket despite the fact that the team was in freefall in international cricket.

“Aaqib is still chairman of selectors. He’s kept his job. He had a rant at Gary Kirsten and me, blaming us for where Pakistan cricket is,” Gillespie said.

“Gary and I haven’t even been there for two years.

The former coach argued that Javed, rather than his predecessors, should also be judged on Pakistan’s performances during his leadership.

“Yet he was chairman of selectors for two years and also claimed that Pakistan’s performances had improved,” Gillespie said.

“Well, no, Aaqib, I’m sorry they didn’t. You’ve actually dropped in the rankings in all three formats since you took over.”

Gillespie’s latest criticism adds another layer to the scrutiny of Pakistan cricket. The board is now conducting an internal investigation to understand why the team is struggling on international tours.

– The end

Issued by:

Kingshuk Kusari

Published on:

08 Sep 2026 13:32 IST