Gillespie is currently the coach of Adelaide Strikers. © Getty
Former Australian pacer, Jason Gillespie, has effectively ruled himself out from applying for the position of England’s bowling coach, saying his immediate future lies in Australia.
England are searching for Ottis Gibson’s replacement – after the former West Indies pacer joined South Africa as their new head coach. Gillespie, who enjoyed a fine career for Australia is rated highly by pundits in England and led Yorkshire to back-to-back County Championship titles in 2014 and 2015. He was approached by the England and Wales Cricket board (ECB) for the role of England’s head coach in 2015, before the selection of Trevor Bayliss.
“I haven’t thought about it to be honest,” Gillespie told The Unplayable Podcast on Thursday (August 31) when asked about the possibility of landing the England job. “I’m committed to the Adelaide Strikers. We’re pretty excited about the Big Bash coming up in December-January. I’ve got some commitments leading up to the Big Bash as well so it’s not something I’ve spoken to anyone about.
“As with everything, you listen if someone gives you a call and says they want to have a conversation … but to be honest, at this point, it’s not something I’m thinking about,” he added.
The former Australian pacer has plenty of coaching experience in his resume – apart from coaching Yorkshire, he also served a short stint coaching England county team, Kent, this season and is currently working as the interim coach of Papua New Guinea.
Gillespie reckons that he isn’t ready for the long grind of international coaching as yet – one of the biggest reasons he isn’t enthused at applying for the England job. “There was a reason why I finished up a Yorkshire; it was to come back to Australia and bring our family and get settled back in Australia and spend a bit more time at home,” he said.
“And certainly for the short term that’s what I’m looking at for the moment; just short-term opportunities to broaden my coaching experience and when an opportunity comes along that I think I can sink my teeth into and make a difference, that might be something that I’ll put my hand up for,” Gillespie concluded.
England are hoping to name Gibson’s replacement before the start of this year’s Ashes. The first Test will be played at the Gabba, Brisbane, starting on November 23. According to a report in United Kingdom’s edition of ‘The Telegraph’, Middlesex’s Richard Johnson and Essex head coach Chris Silverwood, are tipped as the favourites for the job.
[“Source-cricbuzz”]
