Melbourne: Gary Kirsten, the coach who helped India win the World Cup in 2011, is now plotting against them.
The South African team, who face India here on Sunday, are picking Kirsten’s brain following his appointment as a consultant along with former Australia star Mike Hussey.
The Proteas deliberately hired the experienced duo because they both know how India’s star players like Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Suresh Raina and Ravindra Jadeja play and approach the game. Hussey has played with them in the Indian Premier League, while South African Kirsten mentored them to their triumph four years ago.
Hussey was a member of the Australian World Cup-winning squad of 2007 and the South Africans believe he will know the many crucial factors required to win a big game.
South Africa coach Russell Domingo hailed the inclusion of both, saying: “Hussey is a guy who has won a World Cup as a player — he has been in pressure situations in Australia and played under these conditions for a long period of time.
“I think his presence alone will serve as a big form of motivation for the players. He is known as a very thoughtful cricketer — he plans meticulously his own personal game and hopefully some of the things that he has learnt playing in competitions like this can be passed on to some of our players.
“Whether it is in the mental preparation, or the tactical strategy needed when going out to bat under pressure, or even just thinking clearly under certain conditions. He has a lot of experience and expertise and hopefully will be able to pass some of that on to our players.”
Kirsten has been temporarily appointed especially for the India match and Domingo said: “Just having Kirsten’s presence around is a big source of inspiration and motivation for the team. This is an important two weeks for us with games against India, the West Indies and Ireland, before going back to Auckland.
“Once we get through this Australian leg, we will reassess and see when he can join us again.”
South Africa have permitted their players’ families to stay with the team, so when Domingo was asked whether that would be a distraction for the players, especially when playing in a big tournament like the World Cup, he said: “Our players are all professionals. They all know that when it is training time, it’s business then.
“Instead of them just going back to their rooms and thinking about training or the game, they’ve got to look after their kids now, and maybe take their wives out to dinner. So I think it is a good ‘distraction’ if you like because it takes your mind off the game.
“Watching a lot of cricket and thinking a lot about it can mentally drain you, so having the family around definitely serves as a way to keep your mind fresh and not worry too much about what’s happened or what’s going to happen. So it’s a big positive for us to have them around, no doubt about it.”
