LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — The Pakistan Cricket Board has appointed Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie to two-year terms as head coaches in white-ball and red-ball cricket, respectively, on Sunday.
Azhar Mahmood, who was the ad-hoc head coach for the five-match T20 series against New Zealand, was named assistant coach in all three formats – tests, ODIs and T20s.
Kirsten will take charge of the Pakistan team immediately after completing his assignment in the Indian Premier League where he is serving as batting coach and mentor to 2022 champion Gujarat Titans.
Pakistan is scheduled to play seven Twenty20s next month — three against Ireland and four against England — ahead of the T20 World Cup in the US and the Caribbean in June. Kirsten is hoping to join the Pakistan team in England.
Pakistan had been looking for a long-term coach after last year’s 50-over World Cup in India where the team was coached by Mickey Arthur. Mohammad Hafeez briefly took charge of the team for the tours of Australia and New Zealand before Mahmood coached the team during the drawn T20 series against the Black Caps.
“My goal is to unite the Pakistan men’s white-ball team, harnessing their considerable talents towards a common objective, and achieving success together on the field,” Kirsten said in a statement issued by the PCB on Sunday.
Kirsten, 56, played 101 test matches and 185 ODIs for South Africa scoring 14,087 runs with 34 centuries. He played in three World Cups between 1996-2003 before coaching the World Cup winning India team in 2011.
Kirsten has also coached the South Africa team from 2011-13 and led them to the No. 1 position in the ICC's test rankings.
He has also several IPL franchises including Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Delhi Daredevils, now known as Delhi Capitals.
Gillespie will take charge of Pakistan’s red-ball team in August when the team will play home matches for the World Test Championship against Bangladesh. The series will be followed by test matches against England in October before the team tours South Africa for WTC matches in December.
“I love test cricket and being able to focus on that is something I like very much,” Gillespie said. “I like to think that I can help in some way to grow and develop the players. I want to win tests – that is why I am taking this role. I love winning and I know we have got the skill to make that happen.”
Gillespie, 49, played 71 test matches and 97 ODIs for Australia between 1996-2006 and took 402 wickets. He was part of Australia’s 2003 World Cup winning squad in South Africa.
Gillespie coached Yorkshire to back-to-back County Championship titles in 2014 and 2015 and has also coached Zimbabwe from 2010-2012.
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, in blue coat, left, with newly appointed Assistant Coach for Pakistan Cricket team Azhar Mahmood, speaks during a news conference in Lahore, Pakistan, Sunday, April 28, 2024. The Pakistan Cricket Board has appointed Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie to two-year terms as head coaches in white-ball and red-ball cricket, respectively, on Sunday. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
Newly appointed Assistant Coach for Pakistan Cricket team Azhar Mahmood speaks during a news conference in Lahore, Pakistan, Sunday, April 28, 2024. The Pakistan Cricket Board has appointed Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie to two-year terms as head coaches in white-ball and red-ball cricket, respectively, on Sunday. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Sam Cane has accepted he won’t be All Blacks captain under new head coach Scott Robertson, and he will play rugby in Japan after the 2024 season.
Cane on Monday said he's been released from the last year of his contract with New Zealand Rugby and will take up a new three-year contract with Tokyo-based Suntory Sungoliath.
He will be available for the All Blacks when he completes a current sabbatical in Japan and hopes to play the five tests he needs to reach a career 100 before leaving New Zealand.
But the 32-year-old who has captained the All Blacks in 27 of his 95 tests said he has played his last test as captain.
Robertson has indicated he is considering other options and tried earlier this year to entice 35-year-old lock Sam Whitelock back from France, though Whitelock has been cool on the prospect of returning after retiring as New Zealand’s most-capped player.
Lock Scott Barrett and backrower Ardie Savea seem to be the other leading candidates for the captaincy and Cane’s future in the No. 7 jersey is not certain. That starting role might go this year to Blues flanker Dalton Papali’i.
New Zealand will play its first tests of the season against England on July 6 and 13.
“It’s part of the natural process that happens in rugby. I had my time as captain and it was a huge honor and privilege,” Cane said. “If I’m fortunate enough to be selected in the All Blacks this year then I’ll still be myself.
" I love that team and I just want to see the All Blacks do well, so if part of my role is contributing leadership off the field or on the field, I’ll be happy to support the new captain as best as I can to help make it a smooth transition for the All Blacks.”
Cane scored two tries on debut in 2012 against Ireland and was integral in New Zealand’s World Cup victory in 2015.
He hasn’t always been a popular figure with fans in New Zealand where openside flanker is a particularly significant position. Cane succeeded Richie McCaw in the No. 7 when McCaw was then New Zealand’s most-capped player.
Cane has battled injuries throughout his international career, including a broken neck in 2018.
He was sent off for a head contact early in last year’s World Cup final, leaving New Zealand to play most of the match with 14 men in a 12-11 loss to South Africa.
Robertson said he supported Cane’s decision to continue his career in Japan.
“After discussing this at length with Sam, I fully understand the reasons behind his decision and support him,” Robertson said.
“The position he plays asks a lot of you mentally and physically — both of those things ramp up when you are captain. So to do what he’s done over such a long period is an incredible feat. I fully respect him taking this opportunity.”
Cane said the contract offer from Japan came at a time he was considering his future and his ability to provide for his family after rugby.
“A good opportunity came my way with Suntory Sungoliath willing to offer me a three-year contract,” Cane said. “It was something we had to seriously consider as a family due to the stage I am at in my career. It will see me through to 2027 when I’ll have my 35th birthday.
“I’ve always thought that if I can play professional rugby for that length of time I’d be doing really well considering the position I play and the age that I started playing professionally.”
AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby
All Blacks captain Sam Cane runs during the second Bledisloe Rugby test between the All Blacks and the Wallabies at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020. Cane announced Monday May 13, 2024 that he was retiring from international rugby at the end of the 2024 season. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
FILE - All Blacks captain Sam Cane sits on the bench after he was sent off in the Rugby World Cup final between New Zealand and South Africa at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, near Paris Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023. Cane announced Monday, May 13, 2024 that he was retiring from international rugby at the end of the 2024 season. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, File)
All Blacks captain Sam Cane walks past the trophy during presentation ceremony after the Rugby World Cup final between New Zealand and South Africa at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, near Paris Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023. Cane announced Monday, May 13, 2024 that he was retiring from international rugby at the end of the 2024 season. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File)
All Blacks captain Sam Cane leads his team onto the field for the second Bledisloe Rugby test between the All Blacks and the Wallabies at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020. Cane announced Monday May 13, 2024 that he was retiring from international rugby at the end of the 2024 season. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
