Jason Gillespie reveals he has rebuffed Darren Lehmann's approach about Australia's fast bowling coach vacancy to stay at Yorkshire
Gillespie rules himself out of Aussie role
Jason Gillespie has categorically ruled himself out of joining the Australian cricket team's backroom staff, insisting he will stay at Headingley to helm Yorkshire.
The former Test seamer known as "Dizzy" has been in hot demand as a coaching prospect and had been heavily linked with Australia's fast bowling coach vacancy created by Craig McDermott's departure earlier this year.
Gillespie met with his fellow South Australian and former Australia teammate Darren Lehmann this week with the Bupa Support Team head coach in the UK for the ICC Cricket Committee meetings, when the position was discussed.
But Gillespie insists no formal job offer was made by Cricket Australia and, after sleeping on the prospect of a return home, he contacted Lehmann the following day to inform him he would not be applying for any role.
"He (Lehmann) mentioned that there was a role coming up with Australian cricket," Gillespie told BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra.
"I want to make it very clear there was no job offer from Darren, it was merely gauging interest.
"I said thanks for the chat and I would get back to him.
"I confirmed to him that I am not going to apply for a role with Cricket Australia.
"So we can end all the speculation right now."
Gillespie, 41, was strongly linked with England's vacant head coach position last year – a job eventually given to his compatriot Trevor Bayliss, who then helped England to regain the Ashes in last winter with a 3-2 result at home.
Gillespie was also a target last winter for South Australia, who eventually appointed Jaimie Siddons, although Gillespie will return to Adelaide this summer to again lead the Strikers in the KFC Big Bash League.
Gillespie reiterated his family-first approach and unwillingness to re-join the international cricket circuit and spend long months on the road with were key factors in his decision.
"At this point in time in my life, I am not prepared to be away from my family for that length of time," Gillespie said.
"So, it is not on the radar. I am not applying for any international cricket roles."
Speculation of a return home by Gillespie heightened after Lehmann name-checked him on Adelaide radio when discussing the ongoing hunt for a full-time fast bowling coach.
Cricket Australia has yet to make a formal announcement on a replacement for McDermott after his departure following the ICC World T20. Western Australia bowling coach Adam Griffith is with the Australia team in the Caribbean for the forthcoming ODI tri-series featuring the West Indies and Sri Lanka, while South Africa legend Allan Donald will fill the role during the Qantas Tour of Sri Lanka.
A Cricket Australia spokesperson said: "We'll look to make an announcement as soon as the process is complete, with the aim to have the coaching team finalised, at latest, by the start of the 2016-17 Australian summer."
Former Australian quicks Ryan Harris and Andy Bichel are also among the names considered potential candidates for the job, alongside highly-rated international mentors in Donald and New Zealand's Shane Bond.
Gillespie is currently in his fifth season at the helm of Yorkshire, while he also took on the head coaching role at the Adelaide Strikers last summer.
The former paceman's stock as a coach has risen during his four years at Headingley in England, during which he has won back-to-back County Championship titles.
"There is still a lot to do at Yorkshire and I solely want to concentrate on helping this team win cricket matches," Gillespie told Yorkshire's official website last month.
"You don't rule out opportunities in the future. It's whether you feel like you can make a difference in any job that comes available.
"It's well documented that I've got four kids under the age of 10.
"My eldest daughter, she's 21, has just had a little girl. So family is important, and it should be an important consideration. Any job that comes up, certainly, I've always said family comes first."