Gillespie expected to join PSL's Hyderabad franchise as head coach

Former Australian cricketer Jason Gillespie is expected to take the responsibilities as head coach of Hyderabad franchise, the newest addition to the Pakistan Super League (PSL), for the upcoming 11th edition, set to begin on March 26 this year.

The news gained widespread attention on social media and was later confirmed by sources, affirming that the former Pakistan red-ball coach will assume the coaching responsibilities, Geo Super reported on Tuesday.

The 50-year-old was previously part of Pakistan's coaching setup, appointed in April 2024 as the head coach of the Test squad alongside Gary Kirsten, who led the white-ball team.

However, ahead of Pakistan's two-match Test series in South Africa in December 2024, Gillespie resigned amid reports of a strained relationship with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and challenges in aligning with the team's management structure.

The historic 11th edition of the PSL will see the tournament expand to eight teams, with Hyderabad and Sialkot joining as the new franchises.

Hyderabad, owned by Fawad Sarwar, secured the franchise by winning the auction with a bid of Rs1.75 billion ($6,247,500).

For the unversed, the PCB also confirmed the dates for the PSL 11 Player Auction, which will be held on February 11 during the auction workshop.

The session was chaired by PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and PSL CEO Salman Naseer and attended by all eight franchise representatives, PSL officials, members of Pakistan's T20 World Cup squad, PCB officials, and other capped players.

During the auction, various topics were discussed, including base prices, team budgets, squad size limits, player retention , and direct signings.