Why did Gary Kirsten leave his job as Pakistan Coach?

The game of uncertainty in Pakistan cricket continues as Gary Kirsten has left the post as Pakistan's ODI and T20I coach.

Kirsten has left the helm within six months from his appointment when he was brought in with a two-year contract.

Under Kirsten, Pakistan suffered a dismal outing in the T20 World Cup where they were eliminated from the group stages, with defeats including against USA and arch-rivals India. But that is all. The South African's tenure as Pakistan coach is only those four group-stage matches in T20 World Cup.

Kirsten's abrupt end as Pakistan coach comes days before the ODI series against Australia, which would have been his first 50-over assignment. Although Pakistan cricket has seen some light in Test cricket, they are still an unpredictable unit in the limited overs format.

Ahead of that, Kirsten's departure from Pakistan cricket's helm has raised a plethora of questions, but the biggest one asks the reason behind it. And the reason, from the outside and inside looks simple.

Why has Gary Kirsten left as Pakistan Coach?

Gary Kirsten's appointment was much celebrated but since the inception as Pakistan coach, the South African has been at odds with PCB. Various issues plagued his short stint-

Captaincy Debacle: The shocking reappointment of Babar Azam as Pakistan captain and then his subsequent resignation from the role depicts the uncertainty in Pakistan cricket. Kirsten was unable to solve the crisis in the short time period and perhaps was not even allowed to stamp his authority.

Feud with PCB: The biggest reason for Kirsten's departure is his lack of co-ordination with PCB. The South African was not supported by the board in various instances - from selection to appointment. Kirsten asked for high-performance coach David Reid but PCB denied that. The former India coach also wanted to be a central part of team selection but PCB vested all the power to the selection committee, which left him disgruntled and showed him the real endoskeleton of Pakistan's cricket atmosphere.

The changes Kirsten wanted to bring in the system got a swift rebuttal from PCB, which ultimately ended the relationship. It remains uncertain who will take up the mantle following Kirsten's exit. This uncertainty adds another layer of complexity to Pakistan's preparation for their upcoming international engagements.