Former India players and cricket lovers have expressed reservations over the appointment of former South Africa batting stalwart Gary Kirsten as new coach of the national team.
The 40-year-old former opener, a prolific scorer who played 101 Tests until his retirement in 2004, is to take over as the new coach for a two-year term.
Kirsten succeeds former Australia skipper Greg Chappell, who quit after 18 months following India’s shock first-round exit from the one-day World Cup in March.
Former Test opener Chetan Chauhan hoped Kirsten would communicate well with the players to overcome a lack of top-level coaching experience.
”It’s going to be a big challenge for him,” Chauhan told Reuters. ”But with his playing experience, he should manage. The only thing is egos should not clash,” he said.
”At this level the main thing is motivating players. He should become a friend, philosopher and guide to them.”
Kirsten should also avoid any repeat of controversies that marked Chappell’s tenure.
”Chappell was a typical Aussie, too blunt, he made a few mistakes,” Chauhan said.
”Kirsten will face pressure from the Indian media, which is very anxious and inquisitive.”
Whatmore preferred
Former India paceman Atul Wassan said the team would have been better off if the board had not rejected Australian Dav Whatmore, who took Sri Lanka to the 1996 World Cup and unfancied Bangladesh to the second round this year.
India have since appointed Whatmore as the director of the National Cricket Academy.
”I think Whatmore would have been more value for money,” he said.
”He has proved it on the field with various teams and would have had much more to offer.
”It is difficult to pinpoint why the board found Kirsten so attractive,” he said. ”He is not well-known, has no past record and if he has a level three [coaching certificate], so do 50 others.”
Kirsten also received an early thumbs-down from two cricket enthusiasts.
”India needs a regular coach, not a former international,” said Mainak Banerjee, a senior engineering executive.
He argued Kirsten, despite his track record as a batsman, could still find it difficult to advise batsmen of the stature of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Saurav Ganguly.
”We ourselves have many great batsmen or ex-cricketers who have been very good batsmen, that is the problem.”
Public relations executive Manoj Sharma added: ”Kirsten has never been someone people could look up to, unlike some others in his generation.
”We could’ve waited and chosen someone better,” he said.
”India is doing pretty well minus a coach.” — Reuters