PCB Mulls Over Appointing Azhar Mahmood as Test Head Coach

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is seriously weighing the option of assigning former cricketer Azhar Mahmood the role of head coach for the national Test team, sources have revealed.

Azhar Mahmood, who inked a two-year agreement with the PCB in April 2024, previously held the position of assistant coach for the national team.

However, following Mike Hesson’s recruitment as the white-ball head coach, Mahmood was left out of the coaching staff for the recent series against Bangladesh.

Given that his contract remains valid, the PCB is considering the possibility of reallocating Mahmood to a significant position within the Test structure.

With Pakistan slated to participate in upcoming Test series against South Africa and Bangladesh during the remainder of his agreement, the timing of his prospective appointment is particularly noteworthy.

An official announcement is anticipated in the coming weeks.

It is worth noting that former Australian all-rounder Jason Gillespie was designated as Pakistan’s red-ball head coach on April 28, 2024.

His initial assignment saw Pakistan endure a 2-0 whitewash defeat in a home Test series against Bangladesh. Nonetheless, the team rallied under his direction to secure a 2-1 series triumph against England in another home series.

Gillespie subsequently resigned from his position, citing issues in internal communication within the PCB framework.

In an interview with Australian media, he disclosed that he was not informed about the decision to dismiss High-Performance Coach Tim Nielsen — a factor that significantly contributed to his resignation.

“I was completely in the dark about the decision not to retain Tim Nielsen,” Gillespie stated. “This situation, combined with previous occurrences, led me to question whether my presence was truly valued. The failure to inform the head coach about such a critical decision compelled me to consider this.”

Gillespie conveyed his dissatisfaction with his diminishing responsibilities, remarking, “The purpose of my coaching tenure in Pakistan was gradually disappearing. My role was reduced to merely providing catching practice to players on match mornings.”

Following his departure, former Pakistan fast bowler Aqib Javed was appointed as the interim head coach for the forthcoming two-match Test series against South Africa, scheduled from December 20, 2024, to January 7, 2025, in Centurion and Cape Town.