Former Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur shared his views on the ongoing controversy regarding current head coach Aqib Javed’s comments about the instability in the national team’s setup.
The controversy started when Javed pointed out the instablity within Pakistan cricket in a press conference following the announcement of the squad for the New Zealand tour.
“We have changed nearly 16 coaches and 26 selectors in the last two years,” Javed said.
“If you apply that formula to any team in the world, they would face similar instability. Until there is consistency from the top down, progress will remain elusive, ” he added.
In response, Jason Gillespie accused Aqib Javed of lobbying for a coaching role across all formats.
The former Australian pacer took a dig at Pakistan interim coach, calling Javed a ‘clown’ in response to his comments.
“This is hilarious. Aqib was clearly undermining Gary [Kirsten] and me behind the scenes, campaigning to be the coach in all formats. He is a clown,” Gillespie wrote.
Now, Mickey Arthur has joined the debate, backing Gillespie on his stance.
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“I love this quote, to be brutally honest. Jason Gillespie is a wonderful coach, a wonderful man. Pakistan cricket just continues to shoot itself in the foot. It is its own worst enemy,” Arthur said in an interview.
“They have incredible skill, and yet it’s still so chaotic. It’s really disappointing to see. I thought when they signed Gillespie and Kirsten, they had gone down exactly the right route. Because ultimately, it’s the players who lose out.”
The former highlighted internal conflicts, lamenting the adverse effects on team’s progress. He further mentioned that capable coaches had been undermined.
“They had some really good coaches who could take them forward. But then, the usual machine that operates in Pakistan cricket kicked in—agendas were pushed, and media narratives were manipulated,” he observed.
“It’s a jungle out there, and I feel desperately sorry for Gary and Jason. There’s no doubt they were undermined, and ultimately, it’s the players—and Pakistan cricket as a whole—who suffer,” he concluded.
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