Gillespie was appointed as Pakistan’s white-ball coach on April 28, 2024, following the resignation of South African Gary Kirsten, who had been head coach of the national white-ball teams. On the same day, former Pakistan all-rounder Azhar Mahmood was appointed as the all-format assistant coach.
However, Gillespie’s time in Pakistan was short-lived. He resigned just two months after taking charge, citing a lack of communication and internal politics. Speaking in a Q&A session on X, Gillespie said: “I was coaching the Pakistan Test side. The PCB sacked our senior assistant coach with ZERO communication with me about it— as Head Coach, I found this situation completely unacceptable. There were a number of other issues which left me completely humiliated.”
He added: "I really loved working with the players and I still have regular contact with a number of the lads. Sadly, politics and egos got in the way.”
Gillespie, a key member of the dominant Australian teams of the 1990s and 2000s, is widely regarded as one of the finest fast bowlers of his era.