Intensity of IPL leaves me more stretched out: Gary Kirsten

Gary Kirsten

New Delhi, April 24 (IANS)

He may have coached India to the World Cup title four years back outsmarting several great opponents, but Gary Kirsten feels the intensity of the Indian Premier League leaves him more stretched out, though he enjoys the "fantastic" tournament.

“It (IPL) is intense. I was with the Indian team. Zaheer Khan and Yuvraj Singh, who had seen me as coach of the Indian team, said they have never seen me so stretched out.

“I think it's the competition that does it to you. but it's a fantastic event and there is great intensity throughout,” said the Delhi Daredevils (DD) coach and former South African batsman.

“Striking the right balance in T20 is a 50-50 call”

Having brought in spinner Shahbaz Nadim instead of batsman Manoj Tiwary in the playing eleven as they defeated the Mumbai Indians at home, Kirsten said in t20 cricket striking the right balance and team combination was a 50-50 affair.

“It is always a 50-50 call. You can either strengthen your batting or bowling. You know you may probably find that six batters with a power hitter at seven might be enough. But in t20 it is 50-50.

“So you can try take the decision which is best for the team and best in the playing conditions against a certain opposition. We did what we need to do right today, which was important,” Kirsten said.

Delhi Daredevils have good depth this year: Kirsten

He said the Daredevils did well in all the departments of the game on way to the 37-run win.

“We played well. We had a good outing today, with bat and ball. We got all the components of our game together, which we have wanting to do for a while.”

Asked to mention one factor which has changed the DD's fortunes this year, Kirsten said, “I think the problem we had last year, is probably we did not have enough depth in our bowling.”

“I think you need good backup. It gives you a variety of options and combinations that you can go for. So in our recruitment this year we made sure we had some quality leg spinner in our team, and some good spinners,” he added.

"Unfortunately we lost (Mohammed) Shami to injury. But we just hope we try and maintain the form we have displayed so far," Kirsten said.