Former Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur has weighed in on the ongoing controversy surrounding current head coach Aqib Javed’s remarks on the national team’s coaching setup and former red-ball coach Jason Gillespie’s sharp response.
The dispute began when Javed criticised the instability within Pakistan cricket during 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."
Gillespie, however, hit back, accusing Javed of lobbying for a coaching role across all formats. In a social media post, the former Australian all-rounder did not hold back, 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.
Arthur later joined the debate, siding with Gillespie.
"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."
Arthur expressed disappointment over internal conflicts affecting the team's progress, stating 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 said.
"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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