Yuvraj Singh, who was named man-of-the-tournament at the 2011 World Cup, calls him the finest coach he has ever had. Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh, two other players of that winning team, are also quite complimentary of his man-management abilities.
Indian cricket fans remember former South African opener Gary Kirsten as Guru Gary because of the composed manner in which he functioned in the background for three years (2008–2011) following a tumultuous two years under Greg Chappell.
Kirsten is going to be working as the white-ball coach for Pakistan after having a great time as batting coach and mentor for the Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League.
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At the T20 World Cup on June 9 at Nassau County Ground in New York, India will face Pakistan. Kirsten, who will be in the green dug out, may have trade secrets about the Indian players that the Pakistani squad might use against them.
Would he, or would he? Not according to renowned mental fitness coach Paddy Upton, who was part of Kirsten’s support staff and worked with the Indian squad. These days, every opponent is aware of every player’s video analysis and statistics, which is comprehensive. Because they play in different leagues throughout the world, the majority of players have a profound and intimate understanding of players on other teams. “I don’t think Kirsten can bring much of a “insider advantage” to the India vs. Pakistan match, given the wealth of detailed information that is already available,” Upton told TOI.
Additionally, Kirsten collaborated extensively with video analyst Prasanna Agoram for South Africa from 2011 to 2013 and the Delhi Daredevils from 2014 to 2015. Agoram particularly valued Kirsten’s ability to manage people.
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“He is a process-oriented coach, not one who heavily depends on matches and an excessive amount of unclear data. Unless a player’s performance is significantly declining, he will only pay attention to process-driven tasks where he makes sure all the boxes are checked. He intervenes only after observing the video and information that I would have provided if a player is failing for two or three months while continuing to make the same error. However, Agoram told TOI, “He is someone who cultivates strong relationships with players.”
Additionally adept in avoiding pointless practice is Kirsten. Agoram brings us back to the Adelaide Test of 2012 between Australia and us, where such was demonstrated.
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“He used to select the starting lineup and rotate the 12th player each day. The squad’s fourteen and fifteen members may have chosen to retreat to the ground, leave, or simply unwind at the hotel.”
In an interview with reporters, dashing former Indian opener Virender Sehwag—who saw a fruitful rebirth of his career under Kirsten—had hinted that Kirsten understood the individual practice requirements of each player.
“Who requires how much practice should be known by the coach. Kirsten was the finest in this. I used to get fifty balls in the nets from him. In the past, Rahul Dravid played 200. 300 Sachin Tendulkar. 400 Gautam Gambhir. Sehwag had added, “After that, he told us to go to the hotel and relax.”
But Kirsten was also capable of severe speech. He informed Yuvraj at the 2009 T20 World Cup that, at 41, he was more fit than the powerful left-hander. The talented athlete connected with it, and he started making better decisions off the field, which led to his 2011 World Cup man-of-the-series performance.
In reference to Upton’s capacity to inflict tough love on players, “Gary values diplomacy over confrontation. He infuses the atmosphere with a natural calmness, yet when necessary, he is also sufficiently professional to have difficult talks. He has even these in his own serene manner. Establishing trust and building relationships is always crucial before confronting older players. What benefit will Kirsten provide to Pakistan, then?
“His knowledge of working in a foreign culture and his experience with it. He’ll listen a great deal and try to comprehend. He will also be able to relate to the media’s and fans’ passion and feelings. He’ll have grown something of a thick skin, which is crucial in this kind of setting, according to Upton.
Kirsten’s man management abilities and his willingness to devote time and attention to a player-coach connection are also highlighted by Agoram.
It all comes down to trust if he wants to inform Fakhar Zaman, who has always opened the bat at number four. A player will respond, “Okay, I’m game,” if he has faith in his coach. When requested to switch roles, players frequently respond, “We’re not comfortable with that.” But Gary’s affection for the players, which is akin to that of a parent, will undoubtedly support him in these circumstances. Being a very calm coach, he does not become enthused or discouraged by victories or defeats. He’s never shown anger to me. Pakistan has made a very wise decision, Agoram emphasizes.
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