LAHORE: Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali has reacted to the dismissal of Pakistan Test team coach Jason Gillespie.
Gillespie, according to a press release issued by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), resigned from his position due to personal reasons. However, sources claimed that due to the PCB’s decision not to extend his assistant Tim Nielsen’s contract, Gillespie was not happy.
Basit believes the 49-year-old took this decision considering the upcoming South Africa series a challenging assignment.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, the former cricketer commented: “He made a very good decision not to go to South Africa. .”
He added: “Jason Gillespie wanted to build his CV, which he did. This was the best time for him to step down. Winning the series against England was a very big achievement. What happens in our country? People just do their resumes.”
Notably, Gillespie was set to oversee Pakistan’s exclusive red-ball training camp in South Africa, with the aim of acclimating Test players to playing conditions in the African country.
Former Pakistani Aqib Javed has been appointed interim coach of the men’s national team following Gillespie’s resignation, the PCB confirmed on Thursday.
Pakistan are set to play their second T20I against South Africa today with Sufyan Muqeem being replaced by Jahandad Khan.
