The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has reportedly decided to send its national selectors for the team's white-ball tours to Australia and Zimbabwe.
According to a report in PTI, the Pakistan Board has decided to send selectors Asad Shafiq and Azhar Ali to Australia and Zimbabwe. While Asad will accompany the team to Australia, Azhar will travel with the team to Zimbabwe.
Until now, the national selectors of the Board had the responsibility of choosing a squad, while the coaches, captain and vice-captain used to decide the Playing XI. But after Pakistan's loss to England in the first Test of the recently concluded series, the PCB revamped the selection committee yet again. The Board brought in Aaqib Javed, Azhar Ali and Aleem Dar as the new selectors while coaches and captain were removed from the selection panel.
"That is why the board will send Asad to Australia so that he will be with the team for all the matches and will have the final say in selection matters after consulting his fellow selectors in Pakistan," a source stated, adding that Azhar Ali will do a similar job in Zimbabwe as quoted by PTI.
The exile of coaches from the selection committee is believed to be the reason why Gary Kirsten resigned from the post of white-ball coach six months after taking the responsibility for two years. With Pakistan having a busy white-ball schedule, red-ball coach Jason Gillespie has been given the white-ball responsibility on an interim basis.
Aaqib Javed, and Saqlain Mushtaq are in fray to be next white-ball coach
Meanwhile, the PTI report stated that selector Aaqib Javed and former spinner Saqlain Mushtaq are in the fray to replace Kirsten in the white-ball coach's role. Speaking on Kirsten's resignation, a source, as quoted by PTI said, "The problem is both Kirsten and Gillispie were not happy with their sudden demotion in powers with the selectors given powers to call all the shots."
"The situation now is that the PCB has to appoint a new white ball coach given the number of white ball commitments of the national team coming up and leading up to the Champions Trophy early next year. One option is to let assistant coach Azhar Mahmood continue as interim head coach but Aaqib or Saqlain could also land the job," the source added.
