In a sport like cricket which is venerated the world over, it is but natural for its players to carry themselves with some amount of flamboyance and pizzazz. However, this is not so in the case of former South African cricketer Gary Kirsten. An affable smile belies the stoicism he is capable of, as a batsman, it is to his credit that whilst in the prime of his career, he stayed away from any sort of flamboyance or aggression on field. It is little wonder that in 2011, the man of the moment, the then coach of the Indian cricket team, a kingmaker of sorts, chose to take the back seat while a cricket-frenzied nation celebrated the end of a 28-year-long World Cup drought.
“I came from a family that was passionate about sport, and so, it came naturally. My father was a groundsman at the famous Newlands cricket ground in Cape Town. Thus, my backyard cricket was played on a field where most dream to play. As a child, it was easier to indulge in cricket and get as much of it as I wanted. When I came to college, the balancing act came into play,” says Kirsten. There is always a way, he insists, “Either getting up early to complete something or staying up late... I loved a challenge and used every challenge as motivation. I got a marketing degree at the age of 45! So, you never stop learning,” he adds.
Memorable moments
“In college, it was probably being able to spend time with friends on a sports field. I played different sports even in college,” says Kirsten. “When it comes to cricketing memories, I don’t like to focus on them as they come and go with time. I had an amazing career of 17 years which I am grateful for. I have also had the chance to coach after that, which has allowed me to meet more amazing people and continue to grow.”
With respect to coaching a triumphant Indian team in 2011, he says having the opportunity to coach at the highest level was a privilege. “I thoroughly enjoyed my time with India. I was fortunate enough to be able to work with true greats of the game, and have created friendships that will last a lifetime,” he adds.
While Kirsten was in college, it was Zimbabwean cricketer and former coach of the Indian cricket team, Duncan Fletcher, who helped him in the formative years of his career. “In many ways, he kept me in the game while at college,” admits Kirsten.
What about mentors in the cricketing fraternity? Pat comes the reply, “I have made amazing friends throughout my career and now, while coaching. I love having cricketing conversations with the different team environments I work in, so I wouldn’t say I have a mentor, but more a group of friends I can share with.”
Coaching
Since his retirement, Kirsten has been coaching innumerable aspiring, passionate youngsters as part of the Gary Kirsten Academy, which he has now opened in Pune, India.
“Over the last year, we have formed a great partnership with Grassroots in Pune, and we are now ready to expand what we have built in South Africa over the last four years. During this time, we completed 18 international camps with my coaching team and this enabled us to get a good understanding of what we feel is required in different places to help improve cricket,” elaborates Kirsten, on what inspired him to kickstart the Academy in India. “The talent hunt we conducted in April-May was an opportunity for us to see young players express themselves and have fun. We saw some amazing players, and I am looking forward to working with some of them. Our coaching director Ryan van Niekerk has moved to India from our Cape Town base to launch the cricket academy and run the programmes for the next three years, as we look to create a consistent message in our coaching. We will have a state-of-the-art facility with indoor and outdoor nets which will be open to all players. We want to continue to provide a platform for players to express and excel in their own games.”
Lessons gleaned
Kirsten believes that, “Sport is humbling; you can never take things for granted. As a player, I wanted to work every day to be better and to ensure that I respected the game for what it is. As a coach, I love learning new things and having cricketing conversations with people from around the world. It has helped me build great friendships and when it gets tough, you need those friendships around you. International cricket is ruthless, but at the same time, a privilege to be a part of.”
“Cricket is in a healthy space with new competitions coming up all the time, and players getting paid well for the work they do and skills they display,” he continues. “The key, potentially, is finding the balance for young players to continue to have fun and play the game for the right reasons. Associate cricket is growing as well, which is brilliant to see, and I can’t wait to have more associate countries involved as the game expands around the world.”
Words of wisdom
“Everyone is working towards something, someone is always wanting it more,” says Kirsten. “You will fail and you will succeed, but staying consistent as a human being and continuing to have fun and enjoy what you are doing will get you to where you want. Have a perspective on everything and play the game you love.”
