Skeletons in the Kirsten closet

One of India's most experienced journalists has run a story that could have serious ramifications as India look to conclude the seven-month-long hunt for a new coach. Barring the ironing out of some details, Gary Kirsten was thought to have the job, but an article in Kolkata's Telegraph asks some serious questions about his suitability for the role.

Lokendra Pratap Sahi, the associate editor who also looks after sports, did the story, and he has perhaps the most meticulous filing system of any journalist anywhere. It should surprise no one then that he unearthed excerpts from an article first run almost 11 years ago.

In it, he had referred to a diary that Kirsten did for SA Cricket Action after South Africa's tour of India in 1996-97. Kirsten scored centuries in both innings as South Africa won by a distance at the Eden Gardens, but India's triumphs at Ahmedabad and Kanpur gave them the series.

The excerpts don't make for pretty reading, and aren't very different from the Phil Tufnell quip: "Done the poverty, done the elephants, now it's time to go home." Starting with 'Sixty-two days in a country where westernised living conditions are regarded a luxury is no task for the faint-hearted', it gets progressively worse.

Had the words come from a cosseted teenager on his first jaunt overseas, it might have been understandable, but Kirsten was 29 at the time and certainly no wet-behind-the-ears kid. His observations about 'one-horse towns', the food, lack of opportunities to socialise and, er, dented cars are gauche at best and grossly insensitive at worst.

After the recent Symonds and Chappell controversies, and allegations of racism and reverse racism, is this really the man that Indian cricket needs at the coaching helm? If he does want the job that badly, perhaps it's time for Kirsten to show that the passage of time has given him a slightly better perspective on life in this part of the world.

Comments

[Amrit]

The thing is Dileep, in my mind in any case, what we need as the Indian coach is less a man of extreme technical expertise and experience, but more a man who can balance the large egos in our team and tell them what they need to hear in a way that doesn't antagonise them (that's where Chappell went wrong). John Wright was simply awesome at that, he was quiet and unassuming but didn't take crap either. Kirsten seems to be in a similar sort of mould, and indeed was a similar sort of batsman as Wright. But I do see where you are coming from, the Indian coaching position is not one where you should learn on the job!

[v]

Give kristen some time, with all the credentials that Woolmer had, couldn't make any difference to Pakistan, did he?

[Dileep]

The question is: Is the Indian job one where an unproven coach strives to prove his credentials? Why can't they just appoint a pro like Oliver or Boon instead? If Tim Nielsen is good enough for Australia, surely a qualified man like Oliver is the answer.
India have a lot to learn from Sri Lanka in this regard. Whatmore, Moody and now Bayliss...that's an impeccable list, and it's no surprise that they've achieved so much.

[Suresh Nair]

Sorry guys,

I have to agree completely with Amrit's comments and interpretations. I don't see how Gary's writing the truth - as he saw it then, as a young South African fresh on his 1st tour to India - makes him unsuitable to coach the Indian cricket team today.

Mr. Sahi might indeed be a meticulous journalist, but what exactly was his reason for bringing up this issue now? Racism, real or implied, is a hugely sensitive and inflammatory topic. From imaginary comments of dissent by "senior players" to implied racism where none exists - we do give our foreign coaches a warm welcome, don't we?

Let's not forget one very important point. The onus is on Gary to prove his credentials as a coach that takes Team India forward. That's the sole criterion on which he should be judged and nothing else. Let's judge him on his accomplishments, please.

Cheers
Suresh

[Dileep]

What credentials does Kirsten have? Is infinite admiration for a team enough? In that case, a lot of fans could apply? Has he worked with a great side like Queensland like Terry Oliver did, or even got the experience of a Tim Boon? Why do India ignore qualified coaches just to pick up big names? Afraid only the BCCI has answers to that.

[Amrit]

You know, on this issue, I have to agree with some of the other people commenting on the issue, the thing is back in the mid 90s, some parts of India were exactly as Kirsten described them. Are we too afraid to hear what the truth is? And as someone as already said, Kirsten is here to be a coach of a team that he admires infinitely. Should that be all that matters?

[Neil Turner]

I'm not sure I understand the problem here. Could you go into more detail for me, Dileep? Why, exactly, does this diary make Gary Kirsten unsuitable?

He took a tour to India, and by the looks of his comments didn't enjoy it very much. Did he lie about the conditions? No. Did he imply that the reason the conditions were poor was because Indians are somehow inferior? No. Did he imply that such conditions exist nowhere else in the world? Of course not! It's just that nobody's ever asked him to write a tour diary of Soweto.

If Mr Kirsten was a politician running for office in India, his comments would be a problem. But his is (in theory) a non-political position. Who cares what he thinks of the living conditions in India? What matters is his opinion of the Indian cricket team, and for them he has nothing but respect.

[Dileep]

The questioning is not of of truth really, it's about sensitivity to other cultures and ways of life. Without that, I doubt you can succeed in India.

[ab]

I am sorry but, as an Indian (though NRI), none of the comments were untrue were they?

What's the problem? Soweto will be bad but how is that relevant?

[Sir Francis]

Good luck in finding a Saint to coach your team.

"Sixty-two days in a country where westernised living conditions are regarded a luxury is no task for the faint-hearted'

His observations about 'one-horse towns', the food, lack of opportunities to socialise and, er, dented cars

Are these comments lies? Or just observations?

If lies, then Kirsten probably is racist (he is from south africa after all) but if they are observations from an insensitive person they don't automatically mean he's racist. I've read plenty of old biographies where India has been criticised by thoughtless cricketers who were unable to put themselves in the shoes of the locals (a common trait amongst human beings). This seems to be just another example but you'll be hard pressed to find a coach who is Mr. Perfection.

[avinash subramaniam]

i think i know what he'll say. he'll say he was going through 'a very emotional period' in his life and that he'd like to put it behind him. and maybe he was. what with the kind of money and perks he's being offered, he better.

[rajeev mohan]

Just can't figure out what Mr. Gavaskar was thinking when he sent an e-mail to Kirsten for the coaching job. Mr. Gavaskar was in the committee that picked Greg Chappell as coach. Did he support Chappell in any way when things got difficult for Chappell? For too he has been given important posts by the BCCI, but has he ever done any justice to them? Kirsten.. what a choice.

[Dileep]

Well, I don't know how the board will react to this. Kirsten might come out and say that his words were misconstrued or taken out of context, but it is very embarrassing to put it mildly. The TV channels have picked up on it, but I don't know how much it'll run with all eyes on whether Shoaib will get fit in time for the Test.

[Eklavya]

Very interesting, thanks for that Dileep. These coach sagas always seem to get juicier by the day. How is the issue being covered back home, have the Tv channels picked it up. Do you expect this issue to become a talking point or do you reckon it will just be buried?...Cheers

[Dileep]

You know, my first thought was Soweto. But maybe Kirsten's never been into some of the townships and seen the squalor there, with or without cows and water buffalo.
Honestly, stories like this only serve to show just what a find John Wright was.

[Tan Pawar]

You get the same shacks and slums in SA.

Let's hope he's become a bit more wiser in the last 11 years. After Chappell's attack on the cricket infrustructure in India we don't need an all out attack on the way the country can be improved from a cricket coach