Gillespie modestly deflects the plaudits onto squad

Gillespie was a member of arguably the finest team to have played the game – the Australia combination of the Nineties and Noughties.

But after leading Yorkshire back into the County Championship top flight in his first season as coach, Gillespie admitted it was “up there” with anything he had previously accomplished.

“This is one of my best moments in cricket,” said Gillespie, who captured 402 international wickets.

“In many ways it means as much to me as anything I ever experienced as a player.

“I enjoyed my career as a player and I cherish every memory of it, but I’m a coach now and this is my focus and you want to challenge yourself and become better at that. You want to help players achieve their goals and for Yorkshire to win promotion is something I’m extremely proud of.”

Although delighted on a personal level, Gillespie was typically quick to deflect attention off himself and to credit the players for Yorkshire’s triumph.

It is an attitude that has won him many admirers.

“This has been very much player-driven,” he insisted.

“As coaches you try to guide the players as best you can, but, at the end of the day, it’s down to them that we’ve got promoted.

“The other coaches have been brilliant, too, and as a coaching group it feels like we’ve been together years.

“That’s how easily we’ve worked together and how comfortable it’s been, and it’s been a real team effort from top to bottom.”

Gillespie believes Yorkshire can build on their success. He said the club’s young players, in particular, would only be inspired by what they have achieved.

“It’s great for the young players to experience a promotion campaign like this,” he added.

“That will be brilliant for the county in the next few years and hopefully it will encourage the lads to lift their game to the next level.

“We’ve got a good group of young guys and some guys who’ve been around for a while now, and that’s a mix that’s very exciting for the club.

“It’s a brilliant achievement to get promoted and, fingers crossed, it will be the start of something special.”