The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) named Aqib Javed as the interim red-ball coach following the resignation of Jason Gillespie. Speculations of Gillespie's resignation were rife since the PCB did not renew assistant coach Tim Neilsen's contract. Gillespie was offended he wasn't consulted, or even told before that decision was taken. Gillespie was set to board the flight to South Africa from Adelaide on Friday, but he informed the PCB that he was not willing to continue the role. Aqib's first assignment as red-ball head coach will be Pakistan's two-match Test series against South Africa.

"The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has named Aqib Javed as interim red-ball head coach of the Pakistan men’s cricket team following the resignation of red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie," read a statement from the PCB.

The development comes a month after Gary Kirsten resigned as white-ball coach. Following Kirsten's exit, Gillespie was asked to coach the team in the white-ball series to Australia. Pakistan pulled off a huge upset in the three-match ODI series but suffered a 3-0 defeat in the T20Is in Australia. It was reported that the PCB wanted Gillespie to continue as white-ball coach till the ICC Champions Trophy, but without any change in the current contract, however, the board later named Aqib Javed as the interim white-ball coach.

Gillespie along with Kirsten were hired as white ball and red ball coaches respectively following Pakistan's shambolic show across formats, however, both were upset at PCB's one-sided moves. The coaches were removed from the selection panel and were turned into match-day strategists, as quoted by Gillespie. Kirsten resigned as white-ball coach without coaching Pakistan in an ODI series. His only assignment was the T20 World Cup where Pakistan failed miserably. Gillespie, on the other hand, was the coach when Pakistan suffered a 0-2 defeat to Bangladesh at home, however, the team bounced back to win the three-match Test series against England 2-1.

Meanwhile, the first Test against South Africa is scheduled at the SuperSport Park in Centurion from 26 to 30 December. The second Test will be played at the Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town from 3 to 7 January.

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