Thank You Kirsten: Farewell From a Fan

A Farewell Note From A Team India FanApr 5 2011

Dear Gary,

Rewinding to exactly 3 years and 4 months, I was actually feeling a bit frustrated when I heard the news that BCCI was in talks with you to take up the role of the lead coach of the Men in Blue. I was more angrier with the Board as I thought the board didn’t yet learn from the mistakes after that big Ganguly-Chappell issue. The team was in more of a worse situation mentally than they would have actually felt during the match fixing or the ball tampering incidents. Incidentally both these incidents include South Africa and why to consider a South African as a coach? And why to pitch in for a foreign coach yet again? And you played against most of the then Indian stalwarts and was just 40 years, so what kind of a experience do you have to take up the most pressurized job in the world of cricket? What can you actually do to make this mentally down team to regain its lost confidence which was established during the Ganguly-Wright stint? I never wanted you to come to India and get respect as a coach even though you were my favorite opening batsman until you retired. But now after 3 years and 4 months when you take leave from your responsibility, I don’t want you to go back. I sincerely hope that you continue being Team India’s coach. But I support you to go with your life as you prefer more than I supported you to score big when you batted.

Miss you coach!!

There was happiness, excitement and even tears of joy once Dhoni hit that huge six to seal the cup in favor of the host. It may be ‘close of a chapter’ as Dhoni said. But there is another hard part with that close. A lump in the throat probably. A sadness that marks the end of a wonderful relationship. Your term as Team India’s coach as well came to an end. It’s not every day that one see a foreign coach being carried on the team’s shoulders, but then you deserve it. When the team carried you around the Wankhede, there can be no more big acknowledgement that can be given to a man who has played a major part in the world cup triumph which is unknown to most outside the dressing room.

Is there any coincidence that India’s Number 1 reign in Tests came in your tenure and also the much awaited world cup? But all the while you took to stay in the background. From the day you were officially appointed India’s coach in December 2007 and from the day you officially took the job in March 2008, you have quietly planned many effective methods and fierce work ethic and most importantly mental stability. But to be more honest you have not always remained in shadows. You came to light just for the sake of the team’s rescue and one such good move is the appointment of you cricket academy partner Pady Upton as your deputy, Eric Simmons as bowling coach in 2010 and the inclusion of Mike Horn, who Tendulkar himself thanked after the team’s world cup triumph, as the mental conditioning coach just in time for the team to take control of their mind, thought and emotions while approaching the big event. Thereby you also made sure that you had people who support you to the fullest and think in similar lines.

When the country and the board was thinking that you were so soft to the players which might be a bad move, you proved that you are not the one who spoon-feed kids. Telling youngsters like Rohit Sharma that you can guide them only in the nets and not at the centre of all happenings and coming out public on the team’s physical fitness post the T20 world cup loss is a nail right on the head. Happy to see that you are not a person who support your team blindly but rather support only the team and not their mistakes.

You are indeed ‘The best thing to have happened to Indian Cricket‘ as quoted by MS Dhoni. Thank you Kirsten for making India win the world cup. Thank you for making India the number one in tests since 2009. Thank you for making players feel comfortable even in difficult situation. Thank you for infusing ambition and determination inside each Indian player. Thank you for helping players stay fit both mentally and physically. Thank you for making the players aware of the result of consistency. Thank you for making Sachin Tendulkar produce a wonderful second spell of his career. Last but not the least, thank you for giving team India Yuvraj Singh once again.

Team India won’t be the same without you. All the best for developing your business interests and I hope you bring out wonderful talents in the near future.

All the Best.