OTD: When was Jason Gillespie born? Australia pace legend  

Jason Gillespie, one of the finest fast bowlers to have represented Australia, was born on April 19, 1975, in Sydney, New South Wales. He celebrates his 51st birthday on Monday. 

Gillespie was the first Aboriginal male to become a Test cricketer. He was playing for South Australia when he was called up to represent the national team. The right-arm seamer, who stands at 6 feet 5 inches, made his international debut on August 30, 1996, in an ODI against Sri Lanka in Colombo. Later in the year, Gillespie earned his maiden Test cap against the West Indies in Sydney.

While Glenn McGrath troubled batters with his consistent accuracy, Shane Warne was all about his wizardry, which used to bamboozle batters. Gillespie carved a niche for himself by becoming the enforcer in the bowling lineup. The TROIKA would go on to win many matches for Australia over the years.

Gillespie was special because of his ability to bowl nagging lines at high pace. He would also get the ball to bounce from a fuller length compared to most of the other bowlers because of his tall frame. The combination of these skill sets made Gillespie a bowler who would give sleepless nights to even the best batters of his time. The right-arm pacer had a sensational seam presentation, allowing him to move the ball sharply off the deck.

Gillespie had to deal with several injuries during his career. However, each time, he bounced back stronger than ever before, which was a testimony to his grit and determination. While Gillespie made a name for himself with his exemplary bowling skills, his outstanding effort with the bat as a nightwatchman against Bangladesh in 20006 remains a part of history.

Gillespie slammed 201* against Bangladesh in Chattogram, helping Australia win the match by an innings and 80 runs. However, he remains the only player to be dropped from the national team immediately after scoring a double century, a move that underscores the high standards prevalent in Australian cricket, especially during that era. In fact, he was named Player of the Match and the Series. However, the Test match in Bangladesh remains his last appearance for Australia. 

Gillespie finished with 259 wickets from 71 Tests and 142 wickets from 97 ODIs. He also played one T20I, where he picked up a solitary wicket.
After calling time on his playing career, Gillespie ventured into coaching. After a brief stint in Zimbabwe, he joined as the bowling coach of the Punjab Kings (then Kings XI Punjab) in IPL 2011. Since then, he has coached Yorkshire, Adelaide Strikers, Papua New Guinea, Sussex, South Australia, and, most recently, Pakistan.

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