Sydney: Former Australian cricketers Steve Waugh and Jason Gillespie have expressed their desire to succeed out-going Rod Marsh as the country’s chairman of selector.
Last week, Cricket Australia (CA) had confirmed that 68-year-old Marsh had decided not to continue beyond his current contract which will expire in June 2017, which means the country would have new national selector before next Ashes series.
The announcement had opened a place on the national selection panel alongside Trevor Hohns, Mark Waugh and team head coach Darren Lehmann.
Former paceman Gillespie, who has returned to Australia after spending five years coaching English County side Yorkshire, will coach Adelaide Strikers in the Australia’s Twenty20 Big Bash League.
Although the 41-year-old had ruled himself out of the international coaching in the immediate future, he is open to the idea of taking on a national selector role.
“There is a national selector’s job up next year and I might put my name up for that. All I have done the last five years is select teams for Yorkshire. I wouldn’t rule anything out. If there are opportunities I will look at it,” Gillespie was quoted as saying by the Sydney Morning Herald.
Echoing similar views, former Test skipper Waugh expressed that he would be willing to discuss the job if the opportunity arises.
“I’d listen to it if the opportunity came up, but there are a lot of things you’ve got to throw into the mix and see whether it’s the right time,” said Waugh, who announced his retirement in 2004.
“I think there are a lot of good cricket brains in Australia. No one has asked me, but I’d listen to it,” he added.
Under Marsh’s chairmanship, Australia were beaten 2-0 against Pakistan in 2014 before losing the Ashes series in England last year.
However, Australia’s victory in the 50-over World Cup on home soil was the highlight of Marsh’s time at the helm while the team also continued to remain the No.1 ranked ODI team. (ANI)