Last Updated: November 23, 2022, 06:45 AM IST
Gary Kirsten amassed over 14,000 runs across formats in 286 International matches for South Africa. (AFP file Photo)
Gary Kirsten’s sharp cricketing brain and MS Dhoni’s Midas touch worked wonders for India in the 2011 World Cup and their team went on to script history
HAPPY BIRTHDAY GARY KIRSTEN: Gary Kirsten is one of the finest batters to have represented South Africa. The legendary southpaw amassed over 14,000 runs across formats in 286 International matches. Kirsten is also famous because of his coaching career which has made him a star in the cricketing world. The highly-vaunted coach guided Team India to a famous ODI World Cup triumph in 2011.
On the eve of his 55th birthday, let us take a look at Gary Kirsten’s phenomenal career as a coach.
Team India’s head coach
Kirsten was Team India’s head coach when the Men in Blue lifted the coveted World Cup after 28 years. Kirsten joined forces with MS Dhoni as the two forged a champion side.
Team India had a disastrous campaign in the 2007 World Cup under Greg Chappell. Rahul Dravid and Co were knocked out of the tournament after losing to the likes of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. However, Kirsten’s sharp cricketing brain and Dhoni’s Midas touch worked wonders for India in the World Cup 2011 and their team went on to script history.
MS Dhoni-led India lost just one match in the showpiece event and showed nerves of steel in the knockout matches.
Magic in the Indian Premier League
Gary Kirsten worked his magic in the Indian Premier League as well. The former Proteas skipper was the mentor of the Gujarat Titans team which won the tournament in its maiden campaign.
Guided Netherlands to win against SA in T20 World Cup
Recently, Kirsten was roped in by the Royal Dutch Cricket Federation to bolster Netherland’s coaching staff ahead of the T20 World Cup. Kirtsten served as a consultant in the the Netherlands team alongside Dan Christian.
Netherlands qualified for the Super 12 stage and played an exciting brand of cricket. They finished at the fourth position and even stunned South Africa in the Super 12 round. Netherlands’ astonishing success in the recently concluded T20 World Cup can be attributed to the genius of Gary Kirsten.
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