Former Australian cricketer Jason Gillespie heaped praise on India's Test players Cheteshwar Pujara and Ishant Sharma, insisting that their work-ethic have left an indelible impression on him. Gillespie has worked with both the players during their county stints.
"We had Cheteshwar Pujara at Yorkshire a few years ago, when I was head coach there. We needed a batsman in the top three who could do a job for us in sometimes challenging conditions, Someone with a very good temperament, someone who could absorb some very good bowling.
"Pujara fitted that bill perfectly. I think he found it a challenge, the early season in county cricket with the dukes cricket ball moving around in English conditions. He found that a challenge. I think that was really a good test for him as a player, a good learning curve for Cheteshwar," said Gillespie about Pujara's first stint with Yorkshire in 2015.
The other Indian cricketer to come under Gillespie's wings was fast bowler Ishant Sharma. The right-arm bowler has thus far played 97 Tests picking 297 wickets. Ishant played for Sussex in 2018 with Gillespie as the coach.
"You know what really struck me about Ishant was his thirst for knowledge, his willingness to listen, ask questions, try new things, because sometimes you can get senior players, experienced players who will just go about and do their thing. They know what they need to do and that's fine. But Ishant was very much...he knew what he needed to do to bowl well. He also knew he wanted to get better," said Gillespie.
According to Gillespie, Ishant also made an impact on the players in Sussex.
"The Sussex players were really impressed with Ishant's work ethic. They loved his personality. He fitted in really well in the dressing room. But his capacity to learn, ask questions, try things. His work ethic in the nets, or on the track was phenomenal. It was really good for our young seam bowlers at Sussex to see, that this is what it takes for a Test bowler.
"He is an Indian Test bowler, and he is bowling really hard and working really hard to get better at his game, and he has played about 80 Test matches (at the time). And he is still trying really hard to get better each and every day. So, it was really good for our young bowlers at Sussex to see such an experienced player, who has played so much Test cricket, continually trying to improve and get better," added Gillespie.
