As the Green Shirts come under scrutiny following their exit from ICC Champions Trophy 2025, former Pakistan head coach Jason Gillespie has strongly rejected the comments of legendary Indian batter Sunil Gavaskar regarding Pakistan cricket team.
Speaking after Pakistan’s disappointing exit from the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, where they suffered defeats at the hands of New Zealand and India, Gavaskar said that even a second or third-string Indian team could outplay Pakistan’s current ODI side.
Gillespie, however, dismissed this statement, calling it “absolute nonsense.” He went on to state that Pakistan’s team, if managed and supported properly, has the potential to defeat any opponent, including India.
“I don’t buy this rhetoric. I saw some comments from Sunil Gavaskar about the Indian B team or Indian C team beating Pakistan’s top team. That’s nonsense. Absolute nonsense. If Pakistan pick and stick with the right players and gives them time to shine, time to learn, and time to develop their games, they can beat anyone. I have got no doubt about that,” he said.
“They have immense talent. The key is selecting the right kind of players, supporting them, and being patient. In my opinion, there’s far too much impatience in Pakistan cricket,” he added.
The former Australian pacer further emphasised the importance of stability in team selection and management.
“If the PCB, as a board, wants to change and get the right results, they need to get the right people, the right selection panel, and give players time to flourish and do their job. If you are hiring a new coach, give him the opportunity to do something meaningful, give him the time. Otherwise, the results are going to be the same,” he stated.
It is pertinent to mention that Pakistan’s campaign in the Champions Trophy was highly disappointing, as they became the first team to be knocked out of the tournament despite being the hosts.
The Men in Green suffered back-to-back defeats, first against New Zealand in the tournament opener on February 19 in Karachi, followed by a crushing loss to arch-rivals India on February 23 in Dubai.
Their final group-stage match against Bangladesh on February 27 in Rawalpindi was washed out due to rain, leaving them winless in the competition.
