FAISALABAD: Pakistan’s red-ball cricket team head coach Jason Gillespie has emphasised on the importance of giving confidence and showing faith in existing group of cricketers.

“We picked a squad which is not too dissimilar to what we had against Bangladesh. I’m really keen to show our faith and belief in our players,” said Gillespie.

The head coach also discussed a range of topics, from player development to fitness challenges and the lessons he has learned so far while speaking during commentary at the Champions Cup match between Lions and Stallions on Wednesday.

“We don’t want to have knee-jerk reactions after every bad game or a result that hasn’t gone our way. We want to show the faith and belief in these players because they’re very good players, and we showed glimpses of good cricket in both the first and second Test against Bangladesh in Pindi,” Gillespie said.

However, the head coach recognized the need for greater consistency. “We just need to do it a little bit more consistently,” he added, stressing that maintaining trust in the players could help them achieve the desired results.

‘Fitness is controllable’

Gillespie — who also toured to Australia with the Pakistan Shaheens — shared his experience of getting acquainted with the players and support staff.

“The team’s been great,” he said. “I was fortunate enough to be in Darwin with the Pakistan Shaheens, which was a great experience to get to know some of the guys playing underneath the test side. Obviously, the test series didn’t go the way we would have liked against Bangladesh, but to start getting to know the players, the support staff, and everyone within Pakistan cricket has been fantastic.”

Gillespie, himself a renowned fast bowler, also acknowledged the importance of fitness in Test cricket. 

“Fitness has been well-documented in the press. That’s certainly something, as far as I’m concerned, and having spoken to Gary Kirsten, is controllable. It’s something that we can control. We can continue to develop and work on that because, as we know, Test cricket is a challenge,” Gillespie remarked.

One player who has caught the eye of the cricketing community is Kamran Ghulam, who has been in outstanding form in the Champions Cup, scoring two centuries. 

While acknowledging Ghulam’s form, Gillespie remained focused on rewarding the current squad. “Kamran has been communicated that his form has been acknowledged. He’s had, in particular, recent excellent performances. There are guys in the test squad who have been excellent over time, and we want to reward that,” he explained. 

The coach reiterated the importance of patience, noting, “We firmly believe if we show faith and belief in our players, it gives them the best chance to go out and play with the freedom that we want them to play.”

One of the more pressing challenges for Gillespie and the Pakistan management has been managing the workload of players who compete in all three formats, especially fast bowlers like Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi. 

Gillespie underscored the importance of a “squad mentality” rather than over-relying on a few players. “There’s a lot of cricket in all formats that we need to just be really aware of and make sure we’re managing our players as best we can,” he said.

He also touched upon a personal learning experience regarding Afridi’s availability during the Bangladesh series, sharing, “I learned a pretty good lesson as a coach in the first Test match when Shaheen’s wife was due to give birth. My initial thought was for him not to play and to spend time with his family. However, Shaheen, to his credit, was so keen to play. In hindsight, I should have made that call to allow him to have that important family time. It’s a lesson I’ve learned as a coach.”

Younger players to be given a chance

When asked if he would consider trying youngsters in Test matches to come as Pakistan’s chances to qualify for WTC final are over, Gillespie reiterated his focus of winning every game, but he also acknowledged the possibility of giving younger players a chance. 

“We want to show our faith and backing to the incumbents, but if there are prolonged performances that need improvement, we will look at things. I’ve got a lot of faith in these players. This tournament has shown just how much talent there is in Pakistan cricket,” he said.

Gillespie also hinted at potential opportunities for youngsters later in the year. “We may look at exploring opportunities to be brave in selection and expose some youngsters to the Test team environment,” he added.

The head coach also touched upon future talent, having observed players in both the Shaheens and domestic tournaments. “We certainly want to increase our depth in all facets of the game, whether it be batting, fast bowling, spin bowling, or wicket-keeping,” Gillespie stated. 

The wicket-keeper position, in particular, is one he has his eyes on, with the experienced Mohammad Rizwan and former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed leading the pack. “Sarfraz has been a wonderful servant, but we know Safi’s not getting any younger. At some point, we’re going to need to start exploring and offering opportunities to other players,” he said.

As Gillespie continues to familiarise himself with the setup, the message is clear — building a squad that can compete at the highest level, managing workload efficiently, and nurturing talent are his top priorities. “We don’t want to have to rely on one or two players in any discipline. We want to be able to create depth and squads so that we can call on any player at any time,” he concluded.

Jason Gillespie’s first few months as head coach have been a learning experience, filled with challenges but also with a sense of hope. His approach of maintaining faith in the current squad, managing workload sensibly, and creating a broader talent pool will be crucial as Pakistan navigates the tough road ahead in international cricket.