At least for now, it is looking like a perfect match. The Daredevils were looking for someone who could turn their fortunes around, while the South African was game for anything that does not keep him away from his family for long. So, all it required was assistant coach Eric Simons to bring them both to the table and the signing of the deal became just a formality. The 45-year old "young coach" carries with him not just the reputation of guiding the Indian team to World Cup triumph and the No.1 Test spot, but the most essential factor of being a team man as he and Simons had forged a successful combination in the past.
"The IPL is a perfect thing to have happened to me at this stage of my career considering the commitments I have towards my family. To be away from them three months a year is fine for me," said Kirsten. However, Kirsten is under no illusion that his taking charge will bring about a U turn in the fortunes of Daredevils who had finished last in IPL 6.
"I have no magic formula to change things overnight. It is a process of a series of actions, starting with how you recruit. I have had two international stints but this is the first of its kind for me. Twenty20 is all about quick actions, be it in planning strategies or implementing them. The basic philosophy is change."
How is he going to translate his coaching experience at Daredevils? "My primary task is to build a quality side. A whole lot of thought process needs to go into building a good team and it begins with the auctions next year. The process is very challenging and I am looking forward to adding value."
Asked how he would react to the possibility of the Gary Kirsten-MS Dhoni combination working together again if the 'Player Retention Policy' is done away with, Kirsten went into silent mode briefly and his face turned inscrutable.
However, quickly finding his smile, he said: "I am not going to let out any strategies at the moment. That will be between me and the owners. Yes, I have some names that I would want in my team. I will reveal them to the owners when the time is right. Obviously, T20 demands a certain level of skill sets and I would like to get that in my team."
Explaining what he intends to do with the Daredevils, Kirsten said his job will be to help the boys perform to the best of their abilities. "Having Simons around helps a lot as we go back a long way and complement each other really well. I also have the expertise of a fantastic support staff," he said.
On how the franchise has zeroed in on Kirsten, Team Mentor and bowling coach TA Sekar said: "It was not a difficult choice after Eric (Simons) recommended Gary's name at a review meeting. We were unanimous that Gary would be ideal to take Daredevils to where it belongs. After discussing it with the owners, we told ourselves 'yehi hai apna munda (this is our man)," said Sekar.
Kirsten's kitty
* South Africa played 19 Tests under Kirsten, won 12, lost only two and five matches ended in a draw. The team won 63% of the Tests they played and Kirsten was the only coach who took them to No. 1 in the world with victory over England.
* Under him, SA recorded wins over Sri Lanka, New Zealand, England, Australia and Pakistan.
* The 45-year-old former Test opening batsman was less successful with the limited-over teams, winning 16 of 29 ODIs and nine of 18 T20 matches.
* Before that, Kirsten was in charge of team India and led them to their first World Cup victory after 28 years. India also became the No.1 Test team during his three-and-a-half year tenure.
* The former opening batsman played international cricket for South Africa between 1993 and 2004, averaging over 40 in both Tests and ODIs.
- compiled by Rohan Puri
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