Gillespie slams Pakistan selection strategy

Former Pakistan cricket coach Jason Gillespie has sharply criticized the national team's selection strategy and the Pakistan Cricket Board's handling of squad changes during their ongoing Test series in England. The comments come after Pakistan suffered heavy defeats in the opening two matches and the board implemented a significant overhaul of coaching staff and players. Pakistan lost the first Test at Headingley by an innings and 103 runs, followed by a 194-run loss at Lord's. The team has failed to score more than 200 in any of their four innings. In response to the poor performance, the Pakistan Cricket Board replaced head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and pace bowling chief Umar Gul, and sent seven players home from England. The third and final Test of the series is scheduled to begin on September 9. Gillespie, who coached Pakistan for eight months in 2024, including a Test series victory against England, expressed concern over the team's current state and the perceived lack of stability off the field. He suggested that the constant changes have made it difficult for the team to build consistency and that players appear to be "playing with fear.