‘Preparation was not ideal for 2nd Test’

Kirsten says during the recent series he felt as if his bloodline extended back for 100 years in India

MUMBAI: Gary Kirsten has said that the Indian team was not best prepared for the second Test of the just-concluded series against South Africa. Writing on his website, Kirsten said: “It is obvious that our preparation for the second Test in Ahmedabad wasn’t ideal.”

The Indian coach did not say why the preparation was not ideal. One may recall that many members of the team were busy shooting for their respective teams in the Indian Premier League. Kirsten said he had talked to the players about it. “...we talked about what had gone wrong before the third Test. The team showed fantastic discipline and a real sense of purpose before Kanpur. It is so important to be able to recognise and acknowledge mistakes and every player did that.”

Dwelling on the preparations for the Kanpur Test, Kirsten praised Anil Kumble’s decision to stand down as captain. “He is one of the most dedicated cricketers I have ever met and I doubt if I have seen a man more determined to play. But he asked himself the ultimate question, ‘Can I bowl 20 consecutive overs?’

Most people in his situation would have ducked that question, but he didn’t. It was a courageous and wise decision that only he could make. His teammates will respect him all the more for that.”

Kirsten said he was nervous even when India were just 20 runs away from win and with eight wickets in hand in Kanpur. “Even when we were 42-2, I was nervous. As a player you might be able to say, ‘We’re OK now, we’ve done it.’ But as a coach, that seems impossible. I didn’t start breathing properly until the last run was scored,” he wrote, while recalling how the late Bob Woolmer used to get involved with the South African team.

“I will never forget how Bob Woolmer used to live and breathe every single delivery as an international coach — sometimes we used to say, ‘Just relax, it’ll be OK.’ But now I understand exactly how he felt.”

Kirsten, obviously, was relieved after the Kanpur win. “Relief is the most obvious word which springs to mind. I would have hated to start with a loss and, although a series win would have been preferable, to draw the series after being one-nil down is satisfying. It was a great experience, from start to finish.

In some ways it might have been a good thing for us to have lost a Test match so comprehensively in the early stage of my career as coach because it focussed all of our minds. It was certainly an important confirmation to me of how much winning and losing in India matters to everybody.”

Kirsten also said there were no divided loyalties and that during the series he felt as if his bloodline extended back for 100 years. “I won’t ever be dishonest; a very small part of me wondered before this series whether I might have divided loyalties. Well, I suffered and agonised over every ball as though my bloodline extended back for 100 years in India. And it was good to feel like that.”