Pakistan’s former Test coach, Jason Gillespie, has publicly criticized interim head coach Aqib Javed, labeling him “a clown” in response to his comments regarding the team’s lackluster performance in the 2025 Champions Trophy.
Following Pakistan’s disappointing exit from the tournament, Aqib Javed deflected blame on himself and attributed the team’s struggles to several things, including Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) frequent changes in coaching staff and selectors over the past few years. In a statement that has since garnered widespread attention, Aqib Javed remarked, “We changed 16 coaches in the last 2.5 years and 26 selectors. If you do this to any team around the world, their performance will be like this too.”
In a pointed rebuttal, Gillespie took to Instagram to express his views on Javed’s remarks. He reposted Javed’s statement, adding his own commentary that sharply criticized the interim coach’s claims. Gillespie stated,
This is hilarious. Aqib was clearly undermining Gary and I behind the scenes campaigning to be the coach in all formats. He is a clown 🤡
This is the first time we’ve seen Jason Gillespie express his disdain at someone within the PCB management. His remark seems to suggest that Aqib Javed was responsible for him and Gary Kirsten’s termination as Test coach and white-ball coach respectively.
The fallout from this exchange has raised questions about the leadership and direction of Pakistan cricket, particularly in light of the team’s recent performances.