3 major challenges for Gary Kirsten to address as Pakistan's white-ball coach

In what came as a significant development in Pakistan cricket, former World Cup-winning coach Gary Kirsten was appointed as Pakistan's white ball coach on Sunday (April 28) while Jason Gillespie took over the reins for the red ball segment.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi announced at a press conference in Lahore on Sunday. Meanwhile, Azhar Mahmood has been roped in as the all-format assistant coach and all three recruitments will be for two years.

Kirsten is currently in India, plying his trade as a batting coach and mentor for the Gujarat Titans. He will take over the reins from the England tour starting on May 22, where Pakistan will play five T20Is. The team will fly to the USA following the conclusion of the series on May 30.

Under Kirsten's coaching, India won the 2011 World Cup and also reached the top of the Test rankings. Kirsten also had a stint with the South African men's team from 2011-2013. Following his appointment as Pakistan's white ball head coach, Kirsten emphasized "prioritising continuity in team selection whenever possible".

"My goal is to unite the Pakistan men’s white-ball team, harnessing their considerable talents towards a common objective, and achieving success together on the field. There’s always an inherent expectation for the team to perform at a high level consistently. As a coach, it’s immensely gratifying to assist players in unlocking their full potential," Kirsten was quoted as saying by the Indian Express.

Kirsten also emphasized the importance of winning an ICC tournament which remains his paramount objective after he takes over the role of the head coach. He also added that he wants to ensure that the players perform to their utmost potential.

Having said that, let us have a look at three major challengers for Gary Kirsten to address as Pakistan's white ball coach:

# 1. Making full use of the resources available

Over the last couple of years, there have been several chopping and changing in the PCB board personnel which has also resulted in the sacking of the selection committee and head coaches. T20 captaincy was given back to Babar Azam after a solitary series under Shaheen Afridi's leadership.

Looking at Pakistan's situation, it won't be easy for Kirsten to deal with these outside matters. Unlike the other teams where the captain and the coach are always kept in the loop in the selection process, the same might not be said about Pakistan cricket.

If reports are to be believed, Babar Azam was convinced to pick Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim, who were coming out of retirement. Kirsten will have a tough job on his hands and might have to be content with the teams picked by the selection panel. Optimizing the available resources will be a big challenge for Kirsten.

# 2. To have a proper fitness regime for the players

The modern day has evolved to a whole new level but Pakistan hasn't quite become the force in the field. The team hasn't maintained the fitness standards like most of the top teams in the world. Even former Pakistan cricketers have come out to publicly criticize the fitness regime in the Pakistan team.

Kirsten has to ensure that the players maintain a strict fitness regime and keep working on their skills. Regular fitness tests should become paramount for the team and Kirsten might have to be a bit stricter on the players to bring out their optimal performance.

# 3. Kirsten has to take some tough calls

T20 cricket has evolved at a rapid pace and scores of 200 are being chased down regularly. If the ongoing IPL is anything to go by, the fearless attitude of the batters has put the bowlers off guard and they have been left searching for new options.

Pakistan hasn't quite managed to adopt the modern approach of the T20 game. The powerplay has become an integral part of the shortest format but the decorated opening duo of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan haven't quite managed to provide brisk starts.

Kirsten might have to make some tough decisions and promote someone like Fakhar Zaman or any other attacking batter, who can make full use of the fielding restrictions. For the time being, the focus will be on T20 cricket and Kirsten will be looking for a little revamp during the series against England