Gillespie takes over as PNG interim coach with an eye on India bowling consultant job

 

Photo: AFP

New Delhi: After receiving a cold shoulder from BCCI, former Australian pacer Jason Gillespie on Thursday took over as interim coach of Papua New Guinea (PNG) from former New Zealand off spinner Dipak Patel. Gillespie was considered Team India’s bowling coach on newly-appointed head coach Ravi Shastri’s recommendation. But CAC chose Zaheer Khan over the Aussie. However, all is not lost for Gillespie as BCCI has clarified that Zaheer will be appointed as a consultant on specific series only and the same is being thought about for Gillespie when India will tour South Africa and England. There will be no problems for Gillespie to take up the part-time role of India’s bowling consultant as he is only an interim coach of PNG. He has commitments with the Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash League, which prevented him from signing off a full term deal. The former right-arm pacer, also the head coach of Australia A side, is now free to join the PNG squad in Port Moresby later this month with the Australia A tour to South Africa cancelled due to the ongoing pay dispute between Australian Cricketers’ Association and Cricket Australia. When asked about the start of his new journey Gillespie said, "I'm really excited about it, as much to have another cricketing experience with another team and another country," Gillespie told cricket.com.au."It broadens my experiences and broadens my learning and hopefully it will hold me in good stead going forward." said the former Yorkshire Coach. "I'm just excited to see how these guys go about their work. I've heard a lot of very good things, “said Gillespie. He further added, “Papua New Guinea played against Yorkshire in Abu Dhabi in the preseason and I spoke to a few of my friends at Yorkshire and they said the PNG guys were fantastic." Gillespie’s contract with the PNG Cricket is on interim basis which includes a series of matches in Australia against the Australian Indigenous team and Queensland XI, before hosting Scotland for two games in October as part of their qualifying campaign for the 2019 World Cup.