'Aaqib Javed Is The Problem': Ex-Coach Exposes Rot In Pakistan Cricket, Urges Mike Hesson To Save It

Jason Gillespie, the former Pakistan Test coach, has a piece of advice for his successor, Mike Hesson, not to be a 'Yes Man' while working with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

The former New Zealand player, Hesson, was appointed the temporary head coach of the Pakistan Test team after the PCB decided to sack the then head coach, Sarfaraz Khan and bowling coach, Umar Gul, as the team was routed by England in the first two Tests.

As a response to the team's performance, seven players were also sent back mid-tour. Hesson has already joined the Pakistan squad in England, and ahead of his first Test as Pakistan’s head coach, former Australian fast bowler Jason Gillespie has offered him some advice.

Gillespie, who served as Pakistan’s Test head coach in 2024 for a brief period before stepping down from his role, has warned the New Zealander not to compromise his principles.

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“My advice to Mike would be trust your instincts and don’t be a yes man," Gillespie was quoted as saying by The Telegraph on Monday.

“I know him, he’s a great guy, and I think he’s an excellent coach. I hope he just doesn’t get caught up in all this mess just because he’s happy to accept a pay cheque," he added.

“I wasn’t going to compromise on my principles. I never have throughout my career and I certainly wasn’t going to change. I could have stayed quiet, agreed to everything and taken home my salary, but that’s not me. Part of me knew I was probably going to be sacked in a couple of months anyway," he added.

Aaqib Created A Mess

Gillespie, who has blamed Aaqib Javed for th

e ongoing mess in Pakistan cricket, has also claimed that the PCB still owes him thousands of dollars.

“The PCB still owes me thousands of dollars, but I was never going to be a yes-man," Gillespie said. As per Gillespie, he was told to play a key role in reviving Pakistan's pace bowling. However, everything changed after Aaqib Javed's appointment.

“When I came on board, they wanted to bring back fast bowling. This is what was sold to me when I took on the role. They wanted to prepare surfaces that would bounce and carry and would encourage fast bowling because they felt that fast bowling was dying. I was on board and thought: ‘This is going to be really cool, ’ Gillespie said.

“The appointment of Javed fundamentally altered the landscape. From that moment, my relationship with Pakistan cricket completely changed. Aaqib came in and took over. It appeared to me that he was in charge of absolutely everything.

“I went from looking after the Test side, managing that and looking after the players and the staff and having a role in selection to then absolutely no role in anything," he added.