Gillespie slams Aaqib Javed over Pakistan Test squad overhaul in England
Synopsis
Jason Gillespie hasn't minced words — Pakistan's chief selector Aaqib Javed is 'changing his mind like he changes his pants, daily.' With seven players sent home mid-series, coaches sacked, and the squad reportedly playing out of fear, Pakistan's cricket administration is in open crisis just days before the third Test at Edgbaston.
Key Takeaways
Jason Gillespie , former Pakistan head coach, publicly accused chief selector Aaqib Javed of running a selection process with no strategy.
The PCB sent seven players home mid-series — including Mohammad Rizwan , Imam-ul-Haq , and Salman Ali Agha — following defeats at Headingley and Lord's .
Head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul were also removed during the tour.
Gillespie alleged sacked players were informed of their dismissal through family, friends, and the media — not official channels.
Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke take over for the third Test at Edgbaston beginning 9 September .
Gillespie coached Pakistan to a 2-1 series win over England in 2024 — the benchmark now cited against the current administration.
Former Pakistan head coach Jason Gillespie has launched a sharp public attack on chief selector Aaqib Javed, accusing the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) of running a selection process devoid of strategy after a sweeping mid-tour squad purge during Pakistan's ongoing Test series in England. Gillespie, who coached Pakistan through 2024, said the remaining players are now performing under a cloud of fear.
The Wholesale Changes That Sparked the Controversy
The PCB this week removed head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul, while simultaneously sending seven players home — including Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, and Salman Ali Agha — following heavy defeats in the first two Tests at Headingley and Lord's. The scale and speed of the overhaul mid-series drew immediate criticism from within the cricketing community.
Gillespie's Scathing Assessment
'I feel for the players — this is these guys' livelihoods. From the outside, it looks like they are playing with fear,' Gillespie said, as quoted by The Australian on Friday. He singled out the case of Salman Ali Agha, who captained Pakistan in the first Test, was dropped for the second, and was then sent home before the third. 'How does that work? It's pretty clear they don't have a selection strategy at all, particularly under Aaqib Javed. They change their mind like they change their pants — daily,' Gillespie said.
Notably, Gillespie led Pakistan to a 2-1 series win over England in 2024 — the very series now being invoked as a benchmark for what the side is capable of under stable management.
Gillespie Hits Back at Javed's Blame Game
Gillespie also expressed frustration over Javed's reported attempts to pin current failures on him and fellow former coach Gary Kirsten, despite neither having any involvement with Pakistan cricket for an extended period. 'Aaqib Javed came out recently and blamed Gary Kirsten and myself for everything that is going on. Aaqib has been chairman of selectors for the past two years. We haven't even been there. Somehow he claims it is our fault. Make sense out of that. I think Javed needs to look at himself in the mirror,' Gillespie said.
He further alleged a breakdown in basic communication between the selection committee and the players. 'There is definitely no communication between Aaqib Javed, who is meant to be chairman of selectors, and the players. The players who were sacked heard it through family and friends and the media they had been sacked. How disrespectful is that?' he added.
Who Steps In for the Third Test
With the coaching staff overhauled mid-tour, New Zealand's Mike Hesson — Pakistan's white-ball coach — and Australia's Ashley Noffke have taken over coaching responsibilities for the third and final Test, scheduled to begin at Edgbaston on 9 September. Pakistan enter the match already 2-0 down in the series.
What This Means for Pakistan Cricket
The episode marks one of the most turbulent mid-series interventions in Pakistan cricket's recent history. Critics argue that the PCB's pattern of reactive, panic-driven selections undermines player confidence and long-term team building. With the third Test days away, Pakistan's depleted and reshuffled squad faces the challenge of salvaging pride — and some stability — at Edgbaston.
Point of View
But because of who he is — a man who actually won in England with this Pakistan side. His criticism of Aaqib Javed lands harder against that backdrop. The deeper problem is structural: the PCB has a long history of confusing activity with strategy, and mid-series purges with accountability. Sacking seven players and two coaches between Tests does not fix a selection culture — it amplifies its dysfunction. The fact that dismissed players reportedly heard the news through family and media, not management, points to an organisation that has not yet grasped what modern high-performance environments require. Hesson and Noffke walking into Edgbaston with days of preparation, managing a fractured dressing room, face an almost impossible brief.
NationPress
4 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Jason Gillespie criticise Aaqib Javed?
Gillespie criticised Aaqib Javed for overseeing a chaotic mid-series squad overhaul during Pakistan's Test tour of England, arguing the selections show no coherent strategy. He also objected to Javed publicly blaming him and Gary Kirsten for Pakistan's current problems despite neither having been involved with the team for an extended period.
Which Pakistan players were sent home during the England Test tour?
Seven players were sent home mid-series, including Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, and Salman Ali Agha. Head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul were also removed following defeats in the first two Tests at Headingley and Lord's.
Who will coach Pakistan in the third Test at Edgbaston?
Mike Hesson, Pakistan's white-ball coach from New Zealand, and Australia's Ashley Noffke have assumed coaching duties for the third and final Test at Edgbaston, beginning 9 September.
What did Gillespie say about how players were informed of their sacking?
Gillespie alleged that the dismissed players learned about their removal through family, friends, and media reports rather than through official PCB communication, calling the approach 'disrespectful.'
What is Pakistan's series position heading into the third Test?
Pakistan are 2-0 down in the three-match series after heavy defeats in the first two Tests at Headingley and Lord's, making the Edgbaston Test a dead rubber in terms of the series result.
