Jason Gillespie signs with South Australia Redbacks as Head Coach

Jason Gillespie signs with South Australia: The former Australian fast bowler is all set to return home for a coaching stint.

Former Australia fast bowler Jason Gillespie has defeated the likes of Rob Cassell, Chris Rogers and Ryan Harris to win the race for the position of head coach at South Australia Redbacks.

Gillespie, 45, currently holds a similar position at Essex and Big Bash League franchise Adelaide Strikers. While his deal with the English county was originally till 2022, Gillespie will permanently return home after the ongoing county season which will culminate in October.

“I’m deeply honoured to be afforded the opportunity to coach the South Australian cricket team. The chance to work with the players, coaches and off field team at the SACA is very exciting. Team SACA is something I’m very much looking forward to being a part of,” Gillespie said in a statement.

Jason Gillespie signs with South Australia

Gillespie’s appointment was overseen by an interview panel comprising of the likes of former Australia batsman Michael Hussey, SACA (South Australia Cricket Association) chief executive Keith Bradshaw, SA high performance chief Tim Nielsen and Cricket Australia executive Belinda Clark and the former selection CA chairman Rod Marsh.

Keith Bradshaw, the SACA chief executive, said: “The South Australian men’s head coaching role is the most important in South Australian cricket, and we know that Jason is the right person to invigorate our program and push it forward.

“He is a proud South Australian with a phenomenal coaching resume behind him, we have seen how he has worked with the Strikers, leading them to their first title, and I know Jason will give it his all to steer the Redbacks in the right direction.”

Gillespie, the last of whose 169 international appearances for Australia came in 2006, has yielded affirmative results as a coach around the world. Apart from the aforementioned roles, his coaching resume involves stints with Yorkshire, Papua New Guinea and Kings XI Punjab in the Indian Premier League.