The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided not to renew red-ball assistant coach Tim Nielsen’s contract, prompting coach Jason Gillespie to explore other options ahead of the upcoming Test tour to South Africa.
Nielsen, named “high performance red ball coach” in August 2024, saw his contract expire following Pakistan’s recent tour to Australia.
Despite expressing his commitment to the upcoming longer-format series against South Africa and the West Indies, Nielsen revealed that the PCB informed him that his services were no longer required.
The decision, which caught the former South Australian cricketer off guard, left him frustrated.
Sources close to the matter indicate that he was not consulted before the decision was made, further intensifying his dissatisfaction with the board.
Gillespie’s discomfort with the PCB stems from recent administrative changes. In October, he was removed from the Test team jury, with his role reduced to that of “matchday strategist”.
Since the conclusion of Pakistan’s white-ball series in Australia, where he briefly served as interim coach following Gary Kirsten’s resignation, communication between the board and the former Australian legend has been minimal.
Adding to Gillespie’s frustration is his belief in Nielsen’s strong relationship with players.
Both Kirsten and the longer format coach suspected that Nielsen’s absence from Pakistan contributed to his contract not being renewed despite his availability for the full tours of South Africa and the West Indies.
The PCB’s reluctance to extend Nielsen’s contract aligns with its broader tendency to prioritize locally based technical personnel.
The board had previously expressed dissatisfaction with the limited time foreign coaches spent in Pakistan – a criticism that also preceded Kirsten’s resignation in October.
However, Gillespie consistently defended his adherence to contractual obligations relating to his presence in Pakistan.
His current contract runs until mid-2026, and his departure – whether through dismissal or redundancy – could have significant financial implications for the PCB.
Meanwhile, Gillespie has not ruled out resigning from his role ahead of the South African series, and his decision will likely depend on the terms of his departure.
The PCB is yet to announce a replacement for Nielsen, creating uncertainty over the coaching structure for the crucial Test series.
The 49-year-old red-ball coach is set to travel from his home in Australia to South Africa on December 13.
The two-match Test series is set to begin on December 26 in Centurion, followed by the second Test in Cape Town starting on January 3.
Sohail Imran is a senior reporter at Geo News.
