PakPassion.net spoke to the former Pakistan coach and fellow South African Richard Pybus about his personal experiences with the recent World Cup winning coach, Gary Kirsten.

 by Nasser Khan

12 April 2011

Richard Pybus: Kirsten's empathy, kindness and inspiration has left an indelible mark

Gary Kirsten made his debut for South Africa in 1993 and achieved numerous milestones over the course of a decade. He was the first Proteas player to play a hundred test matches, the first SA test batsman to complete centuries against all test playing nations and, although subsequently surpassed by Jacques Kallis, at the time of his retirement was the highest South African test run scorer. His success wasn't limited to the test format, as he boasted a healthy ODI average of 40.95 and represented South Africa at three World Cups.

Kirsten’s 185 not-out against the UAE in the 1996 World Cup is still the highest individual score in a World Cup match and his monumental 275 against England at Kingsmead three years later is the second longest Test innings in the history of the game. These impressive achievements are underpinned by solid foundations, those of application and focus.

PakPassion.net spoke with the former Pakistan coach and fellow South African Richard Pybus about his personal experiences with the recent World Cup winning coach. "One of the first things that strikes you about Gary Kirsten, India’s retiring coach, is his genuineness. There's no bling or strut to Kirsten, he's humble and has quietness about him, something that is offset by a ready smile and easy sense of humour."

This approach, synonymous with the characteristic understatement exhibited during his playing career transcends cultures and no doubt allowed him to bridge the sub-continental divide, something that foreign coaches have often found difficult. To integrate the contrasting traits of South African efficiency and sometimes chaotic Indian flair requires a special effort.

The management of established players has always been a coaching conundrum. John Buchanan focused on the mental aspects of the game with players of the stature of Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne. Managing the much vaunted Indian batting line-up is no less a feat - how does a man coach Sachin Tendulkar or Rahul Dravid?

Pybus' explanation goes some way to explaining Kirsten’s success and provides an insight into his early coaching career "I first worked with Gary when he was running the High Performance Programme for Cricket South Africa. I did a course on mental batting skills for some of the emerging batsmen on the South African domestic scene and he immediately came across as a man who put players at ease, transcending his status as one of SA’s great players. This ability to create rapport and trust with players will have been a key factor in establishing relationships with India’s players, a coach who observes and listens first, rather than seeking to come in with solutions to problems that may not exist".

Perhaps a testament to this approach is the manner in which the senior Indian players have lauded his influence. The Indian Captain, MS Dhoni, mere months before the 2011 World Cup described Kirsten as “the best thing ever” to have happened to the Indian squad.

Kirsten's clear vision of coaching is undoubtedly borne by his desire to further his cricketing involvement after retiring as a player "Gary gave up the CSA post, finding it didn’t fulfil his initial vision for bringing through South Africa’s next generation of international players. After the CSA job I asked Gary to come and do some work with the batsmen at the Nashua Titans, where we had some good emerging players, Francois du Plessis was one of this group. Gary came to Centurion for a couple of days, he worked incredibly hard with the players, throwing to the batters for hours on end, his work ethic and attitude towards batting immediately becoming evident" indicates Pybus.

Kirsten has carried this precise and thoughtful approach from his playing days and this versatility is a vital element of a coach’s armoury, for a team will consist of players of all ages, from the old professional requiring advice on pitch conditions to a youngster requiring a comforting arm around his shoulder. Pybus recalls how even as a player Kirsten stood out in this respect. "Martin van Jaarsfeld, the former SA batsman, had battled to establish himself in the SA side in a period when they were exchanging coaches through a revolving door. I asked Martin what it was like at the time as a young player trying to get into the [South Africa] team, he said no one made him feel welcome, apart from one guy, Gary; only he took the time to see how the rookie was doing and how he could help".

Pybus concludes "The interviews with the Indian players after the World Cup victory pay testament to a coach whose empathy, kindness and inspiration has left an indelible mark on this team". It's a rare occurrence when players, current and former, pundits and fans agree but Gary Kirsten's appointment and timing of his resignation is one such event that has precipitated such a unified emotion. Taking a team to the top and leaving on a high - few have the luxury, few have the peace of mind. "It's going to be a tough act to follow for the next Indian coach", concluded Pybus.

Recent reports suggest Kirsten has expressed an interest in the head coaching position of the Proteas and no doubt Cricket South Africa will have followed his progress closely. Incidentally, if those reports are to be believed, Richard Pybus is also a potential candidate.

Whoever is chosen, there is little doubt the South African team will be in safe hands.