Gillespie puts hand up for selector role

Former Australia paceman Jason Gillespie senses the national selectors have been unclear in their messaging to the country's Test aspirants in the past and has put his hand up for a selector role in the future.

With Australia coach Justin Langer declaring Test batting spots "very open" due to the side's tendency to collapse, the spotlight on domestic batsmen has never been brighter.

But with Australia set to play T20 internationals and a Gillette ODI Series while the four-day JLT Sheffield Shield is being played, not every Test hopeful will have the same chances to push his claim against the red ball.

Whichever way the selectors go when naming the squad to take on India in the first Domain Test of the summer in Adelaide from December 6, Gillespie hopes all players are given a crystal clear explanation behind the selection criteria, something the right-armer feels has not been the case.

"I think the absolute key is the messages that come out after the selections have been made," Gillespie said on this week's episode of The Unplayable Podcast. “And the clarity of the communication to all players around the country in terms of how guys have been selected (and) why they've been selected.

"For me, that's the absolute key and I'm sensing that's been a bit of an issue in the past with players around the country. They're not sure how much value is actually been placed on Sheffield Shield performances.

"I think that's something that the selectors can look to address if they haven't already done that. We don't know, they may have done that. But certainly that clarity on selection criteria and how important Sheffield Shield performances are for selection into the Australian cricket team (is important).

"If the selectors are saying, 'We are taking Sheffield Shield form in to consideration and players who perform will be strongly considered', the potential issues that come up with that is that some players that are in contention for Test spots are not going to have an opportunity to play Shield cricket.

"I think Justin Langer has alluded to this, that some players may therefore be considered on the back of their shorter-form cricket form, particularly if they haven't been afforded the opportunity to play Sheffield Shield cricket."

Selection is a passionate topic for Gillespie, who has experienced being a selector in his various head coaching roles in Zimbabwe, England and Australia with the Adelaide Strikers.

Australia's current selection panel comprises of chairman Trevor Hohns, National Talent Manager and former captain Greg Chappell and coach Langer.

Should a national selector role become available, Gillespie said he'd be "very interested" in exploring it.

"I'd certainly love to be involved in selection at some point in the future," he said.

"It's certainly a challenging role and it's not to be underestimated how challenging it is.

"You only have to look at recent times, with the 50-over domestic one-day competition in Australia is played very early in the season. And then players are being selected almost on the back of Big Bash form, because it's hard for the selectors to judge how a player is going in 50-over cricket when there hasn't been 50-over cricket played for four-five months.

"That's just one of many challenges that selectors have to go through.

"I'd be open to discussing that in the future at some point. Right now, I'm very focused as a coach of the Adelaide Strikers and coach of Sussex County Cricket Club in the English County Championship."