Pakistan red-ball coach Gillespie ‘looking forward’ to Bangladesh Test series

Former Australia fast bowler Jason Gillespie Sunday vowed to make Pakistan a consistent side after taking charge as the red-ball coach with a hectic six-month schedule in focus.

The 49-year-old will start his two-year tenure with a two-match series against Bangladesh next month followed by three against England in October -- both at home.

"It was just one of those things that happened. I was very fortunate to have the career that I had. I am thankful for the 10 years I played Test cricket. Coming up against Bangladesh, my focus will be how Pakistan can play well against Bangladesh. I'm not going to be dwelling on my last Test match," Gillespie said when asked about the unbeaten double hundred he made against Bangladesh in Chattogram back in 2006. 
 
"Certainly, nice memories, no doubt about that but my focus and energy are on Pakistan, on how we can have an impact against Bangladesh who are a very good cricket team. So, we need to make sure we play well, we prepare well, we do our research on the opposition and identify strategies for us to have an impact against them. It will be my first Test match in charge and I'm really looking forward to that," he continued.

Pakistan will also tour South Africa for two Tests in December before hosting the West Indies in as many Tests in January next year.

Gillespie, who arrived on Sunday, said Pakistan are a "talented" side but need consistency.
"How can they be more consistent is one thing that I am hoping I can find some solutions to," he said.
He hoped Pakistan can improve on their fifth position in the current World Test Championship cycle, competed by nine teams since 2019.

"Ultimately we want to win games of Test cricket," said Gillespie.

"There are skillful cricketers here, how can we play as a team and perform well against good quality international oppositions and that's going to be the key for us."

Hailing from one of Australia's best Test sides in 1990s and 2000s, Gillespie played 71 Tests, 91 one-day internationals and a solitary T20I in a successful career.

He coached Yorkshire to win the English County Championship in 2014 and 2015.

Gillespie was hired to improve Pakistan's Test side that lost 1-0 to Australia in 2022 before suffering their first-ever 3-0 home white-wash at the hands of England the same year.

Pakistan were routed 3-0 in Australia last year -- their sixth series white-wash in Australia since 1999 -- which Gillespie believed was not one-sided.

"As an observer from outside, I think there were some moments in games where Pakistan were on top but could not finish well," Gillespie reflected.

Pakistan squandered good positions in the second Test in Melbourne and the third in Sydney through crucial dropped catches, leaving them tagged as a poor fielding side.

He said Pakistan needed to be smart to counter what he termed England's "very aggressive" style of playing Tests, dubbed as "Bazball" after their coach Brendon McCullum's nickname.

"England will be a challenge, no doubt about that. But I think we are certainly up to it," said. "We are going to play very smart".

Smarting from a first round exit in both the ODI World Cup last year in India and Twenty20 in USA and the West Indies last month where South African Gary Kirsten was head coach, Pakistan will begin their Test series against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi from August 21-25.

The second Test is in Karachi from August 30 to September 3.

They face England in three Tests starting in Multan (October 7-11), Karachi (Oct 15-19) and Rawalpindi (October 24-28).