The PCB has made no previous official announcements related to that tour, as the statement seemed to indicate. They also have not confirmed that Gillespie will be the head coach of any series beyond those two tests. Pakistan have a two-Test series at home against the West Indies immediately after the Tests in South Africa.
ESPNcricinfo has contacted the PCB to confirm whether its statement blocks Gillespie from any commitment beyond the South Africa two-Test series, and is awaiting a response.
Earlier this week, the PCB sounded out Gillespie about the prospect of taking over as white-ball coach until the conclusion of the Champions Trophy. However, the increase in responsibility was not accompanied by a proportional increase in their financial compensation, which is understood to be the reason why Gillespie rejected them. Consequently, the PCB turned its attention to replacing Kirsten with a local appointment.
They initially considered elevating Azhar Mahmood or appointing Saqlain Mushtaq, who served as coach in 2021-22. However, neither seemed to gain enough support within the PCB’s advisory circle, leading to Aaqib being offered the position. It is understood that he will be asked to take over until the end of the Champions Trophy, after which the PCB will reassess him.
Gillespie’s next immediate fixture is the third T20I against Australia, a series in which he took over as interim coach. Pakistan’s Test series against South Africa, the only other fixture for which the PCB has formally confirmed so far, begins on December 26.
While Gillespie appears to have retained his position in the immediate term, the relationship between the coach and the board of directors has not been smooth at all. Three Tests into his tenure, Aaqib was hired by the PCB as part of a revamped selection committee, with Gillespie’s powers significantly reduced. He was removed from the selection committee and no longer had a say in which players were selected for a match or series.
“For me, when I joined Pakistan cricket, I was told that there was a long-term plan and we had to make sure our communication was on point,” he said at the time. “I really focused on that, so you can get frustrated if those things aren’t done the way you’d like. It’s not what I signed up for, I’ll be completely honest.”
