Ex-Pakistan head coach joins hands with Jason Gillespie to coach Pakistan team

Ex-Pakistan head coach joins Hyderabad [Source: AFP]

The newly introduced Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Hyderabad have strengthened their coaching setup by appointing former Pakistan head coach Grant Bradburn as assistant coach for the 11th edition of the league. 

Grant Bradburn will work alongside Craig White under head coach Jason Gillespie, who was recently named in charge of the team.

Hyderabad build a strong coaching foundation

Notably, Hyderabad’s management has focused on bringing experienced international coaches to guide the new team. Team owner Fawad Sarwar confirmed Bradburn’s appointment during an interview on a local sports platform. 

According to him, the presence of foreign coaches like Gillespie, Bradburn, and Craig White will greatly help young and domestic players understand modern cricket and improve their skills.

Grant Bradburn’s experience with Pakistan

In addition, Grant Bradburn brings deep knowledge of Pakistan cricket. He was appointed head coach of the Pakistan men’s team in 2023. Before that, Bradburn had already worked closely with Pakistan players as the national fielding coach from 2018 to 2020. 

Later, he moved to the National Cricket Academy, where he played an important role in coach development. Furthermore, the former New Zealand cricketer also has international coaching experience, having served as head coach of Scotland’s men’s team.

However, in 2024, Bradburn stepped down from his role with Pakistan alongside team director Mickey Arthur.

Jason Gillespie takes charge as head coach

Meanwhile, former Australian fast bowler Jason Gillespie was officially announced as Hyderabad’s head coach just a day earlier. Gillespie also has recent experience with Pakistan cricket, as he was appointed head coach of the Test team in April 2024. Gary Kirsten, at the same time, was leading the white-ball sides.

However, Gillespie resigned in December 2024 before Pakistan’s Test tour of South Africa due to reported differences with the PCB and issues related to team management. Despite this, Hyderabad have placed strong trust in his leadership and experience to guide the franchise in its early years.

Importantly, the 11th edition of the PSL will be historic as the league expands to eight teams for the first time. Notably, Hyderabad and Sialkot are the two new franchises added to the competition. Hyderabad, owned by Fawad Sarwar, secured the franchise after winning the auction with a bid of Rs 1.75 billion. 

PSL 2026 auction dates announced

Moreover, the PCB has confirmed that the PSL 11 player auction will take place on February 11. This will be the first time the league uses an auction system instead of the traditional draft. The auction workshop was attended by all franchise representatives and discussed key topics such as base prices, team budgets, squad sizes, and player retentions.

The base price for top-category players has been set at PKR 42 million, while other categories range between PKR 22 million and PKR 6 million. Each team can select 16 to 20 players, including up to seven overseas players.

Notably, Hyderabad will look to carefully build its core squad through the auction and direct signings.