Pakistan lost the first two Tests against England heavily which prompted immediate changes within the squad and coaching staff. The Pakistan Cricket Board released seven players from the squad and removed head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul ahead of the third and final Test at Edgbaston, starting on September 9.
Among the dismissed players were senior professionals Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Ali Agha, who had captained Pakistan in the first Test.
“Give me a spell, Umar. Not surprised you’re not bowling coach anymore, champ. How ridiculous is that?,” Gillespie said on the Fast Bowling Cartel podcast.
“If you heard the full interview, I clearly mentioned that the conditions were cold and I felt our bowlers looked a bit stiff, which affected their ability to execute their bowling plans properly,” Gul replied on X.
Gul’s explanation for Pakistan’s bowling struggles
Umar Gul had attributed Pakistan’s bowling performance to the cold conditions after the team travelled to England from the West Indies, where conditions were considerably warmer.
“When we came here from WI, the weather was hot. It was a hot summer. We weren’t expecting it to be this cold. Even the practice match at Croydon, the weather there was hot. When we reached Headingley, it was totally different. It rained, and the weather was cold. Obviously, you need to spend some time in that cold weather. That’s why we couldn’t bowl that well, and we couldn’t execute due to the weather,” Gul told reporters after the match.
Wasim Akram explains why he cannot help Pakistan
Gillespie criticises the broader chaos in Pakistan’s setup
Gillespie expressed frustration at the broader situation surrounding Pakistan’s management decisions. He highlighted the contradictions in how the board handled the dismissed players and the overall direction of the team during the tour.
“It’s just chaos. The players are used to this stuff, and it’s par for the course. To sack seven players and then request that they stay to meet the King, because it would be embarrassing for the PCB to have only some players. How can you treat people this way? It makes zero sense,” Gillespie said.
Pakistan face England in the third and final Test from September 9 to 13 at Edgbaston in Birmingham, with the new coaching setup in place.
