As the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026 season gets underway on March 26, a satirical video featuring Jason Gillespie ‘refusing' to take part in “stupid arrival videos” for new franchise Hyderabad Kingsmen has gone viral.
In the clip posted on March 24, the cameraman of Hyderabad Kingsmen pans across the hotel lobby, before finding Gillespie, who calls out to him from a floor above.
The former Australia fast bowler then serves up the line that has travelled at pace across platforms: “Hey mate, up here. How's it going? I am not gonna come down. I have too much to do. I'm not going to shoot those stupid arrival videos. I've got too much to do but thanks anyway.”
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Watch the viral moment here:
The twist in the tale? The entire clip is staged satire.
The franchise itself leaned into the joke, with the caption: “Say NO to stupid arrival videos”, framing it as a tongue-in-cheek rejection of the increasingly choreographed, often criticised “cringe” content that dominates league coverage.
The video made quite the impact on fans with one user pointing out how the video is a subtle dig at the other franchises, who dedicate vast resources to their social media content.
Another user commented saying, "Finally, an adult in the room."
Another user pointed out the irony, as the franchise themselves have been posting 'arrival videos' of their players.
Beyond the viral moment, Hyderabad's decision to appoint Gillespie is widely viewed as one of the league's most significant moves this season.
Gillespie's no-nonsense tone in the video is not accidental, considering his past history with Pakistan.
The 50-year-old has previously served as Pakistan's red-ball head coach, from April 2024 to December 2024, with the stint ending rather acrimoniously as Gillespie stepped down just days before a South Africa Test series, citing lack of communication from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
The veteran had also spoken about how the Pakistan head coach stint had "soured" his love for coaching. The Kingsmen managing to get him back to the country is seen as a massive coup, especially for a new franchise starting from scratch.
His coaching pedigree is well established. Gillespie guided Yorkshire to consecutive County Championship titles in 2014 and 2015. During his time with Pakistan, he also led the team to a 2-1 home Test series win against England.
Hyderabad Kingsmen are one of two new teams introduced in PSL 2026, alongside the Sialkot Stallionz, as the league expands from six to eight franchises.
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