Jason Gillespie takes up interim coach role of Papua New Guinea

Former Australian pacer, Jason Gillespie is set to serve an International team after acting as head coach for various domestic teams around the globe. The 42-year-old will now be seen taking up the interim role as the coach of Papua New Guinea after the departure of the former New Zealand player Dipak Patel.

Patel served as PNG’s head coach for 3 years after taking up the role in July 2014. He first signed a two-year contract and later extended it to one year in 2016. However, Dipak left the role in a controversial manner post a conflict between him and the Cricket PNG with both the parties having their own version regarding his sudden departure.

Under him, PNG achieved ODI status and T20I status after they finished 4th in ICC World Cup 2015 qualifier and gained a spot in the ICC ODI and T20I rankings. Patel represented New Zealand between 1987 and 1997 in 37 Tests and 75 ODIs. The off-spinner was well known for opening the bowling in all their games in 1992 World Cup which was a new strategy in ODIs at that time as spinners opening the bowling wasn’t a usual case.

Domestic stints

Gillespie, who has served as a coach of a domestic side in Zimbabwe, India, England and Australia has finally taken up a role at the International level. He served as bowling coach of Kings XI Punjab in 2011 after a year stint in Zimbabwe.

The Australian took up the coaching responsibilities of Yorkshire in late 2011, his former County team. Yorkshire went on to win County Championship twice from down in the 2nd division before Gillespie’s arrival. Just when England coaching role was up for grabs, Gillespie decided to return to Australia and took over the coaching role of Adelaide Strikers and Australia A teams.

The right-arm pacer’s International career was cut short in 2006 due to injuries and lack of form. His last appearance for Australia was the 2-match Test series in Bangladesh where he scored a double hundred on his birthday and also took 8 wickets in the series to be named as player of the series.