Jason Gillespie asks for ‘ruthlessness’ from Pakistan players ahead of England series (Source – Twitter/X)
Former Australia pacer Jason Gillespie, who was appointed as Pakistan’s new Test head coach, has emphasized the need for his team to develop a killer instinct when in dominant positions against their opponents. Pakistan suffered a recent 0-2 Test series defeat against Bangladesh, making it their first-ever series loss to the Bengal Tigers.
The Men in Green’s recent performance in the longest format of the game has been a cause for concern. The team’s inability to capitalize on advantageous positions has cost them dearly. With a challenging home series against England around the corner, Gillespie’s focus is on improving the team’s mental strength.
“We showed glimpses of quality in the Test series against Bangladesh, where we were really driving the game forward. We played some excellent cricket, both with the bat and the ball. The issue was that we didn’t sustain it long enough. When we allowed our opponents to get into the game, they capitalized and pulled ahead. That’s where we let ourselves down,” said Gillespie in the podcast conducted by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
I’d rather show my support and backing for them at this stage: Jason Gillespie
Jason Gillespie further mentioned specific instances where Pakistan let opportunities slip. In the first Test, they had Bangladesh at 218/5 before allowing a comeback. Similarly, in the second Test, despite having Bangladesh at 26/6, Pakistan could only manage a slim first-innings lead.
“What we need is a bit more ruthlessness. When we’re ahead, we need to stay ahead and make sure we really drive home that advantage. That’s the main takeaway from the Bangladesh series. There was some very good work done, but when we had a bad hour, it really set us back. We need to minimise those poor periods and maximize the good ones,” he added.
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Despite facing criticism for team selection in the Bangladesh series, the Australian defended the squad chosen for the upcoming England Tests. He stressed the importance of backing players and giving them adequate opportunities before making long-term decisions.
“Look, all players are disappointed when they miss out. I’d be surprised if they weren’t. But what I’m learning is that the players understand my philosophy regarding selection. We want to back and support players. Of course, if performances are not at the required level over a prolonged period, we may consider making changes. I’m relatively new to this role and I’ve only been involved in two Test matches. That’s not a big enough sample size to make long-term decisions on players. I’d rather show my support and backing for them at this stage,” he concluded.