Kirsten the Right Choice

(Article wrote a week after Kirsten's appointment as India Coach)

After controversial Chappell regime it took seven months of highly intense drama filled BCCI’s baffling administration, Ford crisis, captain’s frustration leading to overall pressure with undying media speculation has at last resulted in Team India having a new coach in Gary Kirsten.

Former South African opener will fit in as an excellent choice as he can be looked as a long term solution compared to various other names that did the rounds throughout the hunt. A reasonable and plain-speaking approach, in short as many believe a John Wright approach was required to handle the big names and also to understand the psychology of the Indian players. To say the least, this was a must after a bossy Chappell rule.

Kirsten will serve with distinction. A tactful person in nature he looks prepared to remain behind the scene. He was a thinking cricketer during his playing days and can be a good analyzer. Having Gary will actually end up being a big advantage because he has played a lot of cricket against the many senior players in the Indian team starting from Sachin Tendulkar to Yuvraj Singh and Harbajan Singh. Therefore, for sure he will be in a position to help these cricketers by letting them know how the opposition plan to counter them as he had been the part of south African dressing room planning one of these Indian’s dismissal.

Also another plus of Kirsten is he will be very much aware of the demands of modern day cricket and the physical and mental stress comes along with it.

Kirsten as a player never took things for granted, neither his place in the team nor his form with the bat. He worked hard for his runs so does he will as a coach. He also has this charm to induct a positive influence among youngsters and keeping them on toes.

Kirsten wasn’t a gifted batsman as he worked hard on his technique throughout his successful career and this will make him to show patience with some of the less gifted players. He played under Hansie Cronje for most of his career and a team was one of the top teams in the world which showed good aggression and competence. Coming up from such a background he can keep up the momentum going inside the dressing room.

Kirsten might not have coaching experience of a national team or even a domestic side but he has the ability to learn the nuance of coaching in a short span of time. Coaching an international team is not about teaching how to hold your bat grip or how to get your seam position right but it is about facilitating the players’ needs. And now if you think if he suits the best as coach, he is the most appropriate I feel. The credit should go to the coach selection committee comprising Ravi Shastri, Sunil Gavaskar and Srinivas Venkataragavan for entrusting Gary Kirsten with the job.

He will play his cards close to his chest in handling the team as a whole, the seniors, the BCCI and the Indian media. And he has already given us the glimpses of that by making himself available full-time from March, smartly avoiding the team’s tour of Australia. However, his presence as coach will be one more interesting phase in Indian cricket.

Kirsten is already into his first task meeting the team in Bangalore during the on-going third test verses Pakistan trying to interact with the players. After the Australian tour he will be presiding over the change in guard. And he has the brilliance, understanding and strength to take charge.