India's World Cup winning coach Gary Kirsten backs Dhoni, opens up on coaching assignments

Gary Kirsten is in Mumbai for the launch of his wife Deborah's book, Chai Tea and Ginger Beer, as well as the brand ambassador of FRB India. Pranav Joshi of dnaindia.com spoke to the former Indian coach, who was at the helm of affairs during India's historic 2011 World Cup trimuph.

Hello. How are you?

I'm fine, how are you doing?

I'm good. So what brings you to India this time?

I have come here for the launch of my wife Deborah's book, Chai Tea and Ginger Beer. And also because I am the brand ambassador of FRB India.

What is this book about?

The book recounts our 3-year stay in India (when Kirsten was the coach of the Indian team), including the 2011 World Cup. It's an autobiography.

Yesterday, you defended (Indian captain) MS Dhoni from his critics in the media who have called for his retirement....

Yes, I don't understand this. I really don't. Why should he retire? Give me a good reason. He is one of the best ODI batsmen of all time and continues to be so. He has a 50 + ODI average? How many batsmen have that? He has won two World Cups (50-over and Twenty20) for India, and the Champions Trophy as captain. Why should he go?

So you think he can continue to play for a few more years?

Oh, that's for him to decide...I cannot make a judgement.

But you think he can go on for a while...3, 4 years...

Yes, I mean the answer is obvious. All batsmen go through a form slump. Look at Kohli, he's not doing well either, not at the top of his game, but they aren't criticising him so much. Look, when I was coach I looked for guys who had match-winning abilities, who were team players. Dhoni is a match winner. He is a team man always.

Yet, the Indian team hasn't been doing well of late under him. India have lost 3 of the 4 matches at home to South Africa.

When I was coach during the 2011 World Cup, we had a bunch of senior guys, who obviously were nearing the end of their careers. Now you have a bunch of young players. The team is in a rebuilding phase. You have to give it time. There will be inconsistency. The key is to know whether there are glaring areas of concern which need to be addressed. Is the Indian team moving in the right direction with its bunch of youngsters? That is the question.

You're coaching again. You're coaching in Dubai now?

Yes, for something called the Global Cricket Academy. It's not exactly coaching. It's more like advising youngsters. The Dubai clinic takes place at the end of November. It's a high performance programme. Mostly for 16 to 20-year-olds. I will spend a couple of days there. Share some advice. But not much can be achieved in that much time. (It's all about) mostly providing tips and general guidance.

What would be your advice to youngsters looking to make it big in international cricket today, given how drastically it has changed?

I would ask them to have courage and determination. To have conviction. The expectations are very high these days. There is also a lot of criticism, from different sources. They need to learn to handle that. They need to be conditioned for that.

Now, about South Africa. They seem to win a lot, they have won 3 of 4 games in India now, but when will they win a World Cup?

Look the World Cup is just one tournament. I understand the concern, but South Africa haven't lost an away Test series for 7 years. They have been the top Test team in the world for so long. That's really impressive. But everyone wants to focus on the World Cup. I do realise we have played so many World Cups and haven't won and we should have. 

What do you think is the problem? 

You know it, they have to get over the semifinal bogie (laughs). A lot of terrible words are used because they don't. The team has been tagged with these words (chokers) wherever they go. Look at the last World Cup. If it hadn't rained, South Africa would have got 360 or so (in the semifinal). That would have been very difficult to chase for New Zealand, more than 298 (in 43 overs). They have been unlucky, they need to be better but look at the positives.

Lastly, what do you think about the issue of match fixing, especially in IPL? Yesterday, Brendon McCullum has come out alleging that a teammate approached him to fix matches.

No, I would really not like to comment on that. 

Thank you, it was good to talk to you.

Thank you too, it was a pleasure. Have a good day.

Synopsis of Deborah Kirsten's autobiography: 

Deborah’s autobiography was first released in South Africa in February 2015, where it quickly became a bestseller and was sold out within just four months. It had now been published in India by Cross Culture and will be available in all leading bookstores around India. Much of the book relates to Deborah’s journey with Gary, both as a  player and a coach.

Never before has the wife of an international cricketer written her story in this way, relating insightful and entertaining stories written from this unique perspective. Deborah sheds a different light on cricket, touring and the pressures of international sport – a side that many people are unfamiliar with.

Deborah also gives the reader a fascinating look into the life and demands on international sportsmen in this professional era, as well as on their families and marriages. Deborah reflects on their family’s time spent in India whilst Gary  was coaching the Indian Cricket Team. In a highly entertaining manner she relates many of their Indian experiences as Gary, herself and the children learnt about Indian culture, became friends with the Indian people and traveled the globe with the Indian Cricket team. 

This journey culminated in India winning of the World Cup and Deborah shares some of the behind-the-scenes stories around that amazing event.

Deborah harnesses the power of story, relating a wonderful selection of anecdotes, from funny ones and happy ones to sad ones and also more poignant ones. She takes the reader on an emotional journey that leaves one crying one minute and laughing the next. Each story is carefully selected to reflect her different experiences, as well as the learning that she and Gary have taken along the way.