tag:blogs.cricinfo.com,2009:/garysdiary//138 2008-06-25T17:08:22Z Movable Type 3.34 tag:blogs.cricinfo.com,2008:/garysdiary//138.6616 2008-06-25T16:12:17Z 2008-06-25T17:08:22Z

Gary Kirsten

Mahendra Singh Dhoni is among the busiest of international players © AFP

Much as I enjoyed watching the Indian Premier League from a distance, it has been fantastic to resume my job with India. In many ways, it was frustrating to interrupt the process immediately after my first series, against South Africa, but we're back on track and I'm excited by the challenges ahead. The Asia Cup is almost unique in that, outside of official ICC tournaments, it is one of the very few places where Test-playing nations compete against 'minor' teams on an equal footing. Although Hong Kong and the UAE may not be competitive at this stage, I am completely comfortable with their involvement. One day they may arrive at the Asia Cup with a view to winning it rather than just avoiding heavy defeats, but that day will never arrive if they are not invited now. Matches against Pakistan and Sri Lanka, of course, are always extremely serious and competitive fixtures while Bangladesh routinely prove that, although they still lose more games than they win, they can beat all of the best teams in a one-off situation, so there is plenty to keep us on our toes. Both Paddy Upton and I have been spending quality time with the players on a one-on-one basis as we prepare for our first game and we will continue to do that throughout the tournament. Mental techniques in cricket have occupied as much time as technical issues and it has been extremely important for all of us to get to know each other individually because the one-day squad is now substantially different to the Test squad. And I am happy with that situation. I believe age does play a role in the performances of most players and, equally, I don't believe that many players are suited to all three forms of the game. In fact, I don't even believe, necessarily, that those players who are suited to one-day cricket should play in every game. One of my most important tasks as head coach will be to implement a rotation policy for the national squads in order to keep our best players rested and fresh. It won't be easy – it never is – but I'm sure there is a sufficient level of maturity and understanding among the players to accept that there is simply too much cricket for any single player to perform at his best all the time. Mahendra Singh Dhoni is probably the most obvious example of a man needing a break. In my own experience, by the time a player is feeling tired or 'flat', it is already too late to rest him. The rest needs to happen before fatigue sets in. MS is a brilliant cricketer and the sort of man who is happy to play every game, but he knows that it is not practical. Fatigue can lead to loss of form as well as injuries, both of which can adversely affect a player's long-term career. Anyway, it will take time to get it right. And it won't be a perfect science.]]> tag:blogs.cricinfo.com,2008:/garysdiary//138.6584 2008-06-13T13:17:02Z 2008-06-25T16:45:16Z

Gary Kirsten

Gary Kirsten: "I was pleasantly surprised to find a group of individuals who have very quickly adapted their thinking and their skills to the longer version of the one-day game" © AFP

It was great to return to India after the IPL and begin a tour with the one-day team with whom I had not worked before. I was a little apprehensive about how the first few days with this team would unfold as I felt there would be a major "hangover" from hustle and bustle of the 20-over game. But I was pleasantly surprised to find a group of individuals who have very quickly adapted their thinking and their skills to the longer version of the one-day game. I was also encouraged by their desire to play for India again and what it means to each one of these players to represent their country. Many people have asked me about my thoughts on the IPL and whether this style of cricket will influence the way 50-over cricket and even Test cricket is played. In my opinion, they are three totally different formats, each requiring completely different sets of skills. The most successful batsmen in the IPL appeared to be the players who could get the ball to the boundary, in unconventional ways, more consistently than others. A lot of this was pure "power hitting" - baseball style, with players setting a good base to swing from, squaring up there shoulders through contact and driving through with their hips to gain maximum power. Naturally, because of variable conditions, the risk of this style of play is high and not necessarily suited to the 50-over format where boundary options with less risk are required. I believe the more ‘conventional’ player, who still has boundary-hitting ability, will be more successful and not exploited by quality fast bowling in 50-over cricket. Whereas a 50-run partnership in five overs will play a huge part in the success of a Twenty 20 game, the same result in a 50-over game, while being very handy, will not necessarily prove to be match-winning.]]> Fifty-over cricket requires a combination of good hitting ability and the skill to manipulate the field and ‘work’ the ball so as to eliminate risk (as far as possible) and enable the team to reach scores in excess of 270 on good surfaces. With the help of Paddy [Upton] and the rest of the support staff, we are trying to set up an environment where each and every player feels comfortable in his role, what is expected of him and what he can achieve for the team. Each player comes to the team with a different set of skills and it will be our responsibility to find his place in the team, where he is most effective and where he can optimise his abilities. In this way, he benefits the team and optimises the effectiveness of the unit. We still have a way to go in understanding what our most effective combinations are, but I'm very excited about the talent that is on display and our goal is to put a squad of players together which can dominate this version of the game over a sustained period. Otherwise, Paddy and I have been spending many hours together plotting the way forward and working out ways to help these extremely special players to get the best out of themselves. It’s been fun and they are a great bunch of guys to work with. Paddy's free-spirited thinking came into play at practice a couple of days ago when he decided to bat in the nets wearing a bulletproof vest and riot police helmet. It created a good laugh amongst the players although I don't think the policeman was that charmed. I am writing this the day before the final and the players are looking forward to another match-up with their closest rivals, Pakistan. I'm sure Pakistan will lift their performance considerably from a couple of days earlier when we won by 140 runs, so we are expecting a tougher contest. We will be focusing on making sure that we execute our skills as best as we can on the day as well as enjoy the contest. We hope you do, too! tag:blogs.cricinfo.com,2008:/garysdiary//138.6533 2008-05-15T08:31:12Z 2008-06-25T16:45:16Z

As I started my Test career, I began to truly understand why every Test match was a really special occasion. I realised that to score a Test match 100 would require a mammoth effort of concentration, courage and determination and the opposition would try everything possible to bring about my demise

Gary Kirsten

I grew up in a generation where Test match cricket defined each one of us who have been fortunate to play it © Peter J Heeger

The world is changing at such a pace that our children are learning things at school that they will need to use in careers that have not yet been discovered. School leavers today are entering careers such as internet marketing which wasn’t even around when they entered grade one in 1992. Likewise encyclopaedia salesmen have had to reinvent themselves as their once very stable occupation ended rather abruptly with the creation, first of CD-based, and now internet-based encyclopaedias. Businesses are being forced to re-think the value they offer to their customers in order to survive against this backdrop of extreme change. Cricket is faced with the same challenges, and in this column I’m exploring ways that Test cricket can survive and thrive in this fast evolving environment.]]> I will never forget going on a holiday in 1992 to the Caribbean to watch South Africa play its first Test match after isolation against the West Indies. It was a momentous occasion and one that I cherished as I watched two highly competitive teams give everything they had to get the better of one another. It was during this match, watching every ball on the side of the field that I began to understand the pure mastery of cricket at its best. Quality fast bowling, clever spin bowling, sharp fielding and courageous batting were all on display as I became mesmerised by this ultimate battle between two great cricket nations. The determination of every player to give everything of himself, mentally and physically was evident throughout the four days. I never stayed to watch South Africa collapse needing a further 80 runs with eight wickets in hand on the last day with the great Courtney Walsh and Curtly Ambrose producing one of the most devastating spells of fast bowling ever seen. But I had seen enough. I desperately wanted to be part of this. I wanted to know what it felt like to score a Test 100 for your country. I wanted to play against the best cricketers in the world and I wanted to know what it would feel like to win a Test match at Eden Gardens or Lord’s or the SCG. What was this attraction? What was I seduced by? Why did playing Test match cricket for my country become an obsession? As I started my Test career, I began to truly understand why every Test match was a really special occasion. I realised that to score a Test match 100 would require a mammoth effort of concentration, courage and determination and the opposition would try everything possible to bring about my demise. My mental resolve and physical endurance were comprehensively tested and the ecstasy of success or the disappointment of failure left me exhausted at the end of a Test match. This was performance at its best where the opposition had the opportunity to expose their opponent’s character and find what they were made of. There was no place to hide as players were tested in every department. Can he play the short ball? Is he prepared to get hurt? Can he face quality spin bowling? Can he score runs in different conditions? Can he handle the pressure? Can he fight back? These were questions constantly asked of Test batsmen as they embarked on another Test match innings. Could there be anything more exhilarating than facing this ultimate test and succeeding for your country, your team mates and your self? I grew up in a generation where Test match cricket defined each one of us who have been fortunate to play it. It provided a meaning to life and gave us the motivation to live every day with great intensity and energy. It challenged our every move and we knew that to take it too lightly would expose who we are and what we believe in. It was the ultimate test of character. Would we want to be remembered as a player who backed off when the going got tough or did we have the resilience to hang in and turn things around? Test cricket would let us know just what type of person we were. I believe that the sports entertainment industry has undergone major change over the last 15 years and cricket has been forced to reinvent itself. The game has produced a shortened format (20 overs) that has satisfied the stake holders of this sports entertainment era. It has produced a new type of cricketer armed with a variety of exciting skills. It is filling the stadiums and generating an interest never seen before. IPL has introduced a powerful new franchise club system driven by big business and is already beginning to look remarkably like professional football or American baseball. So where does that leave Test cricket? I believe that Test cricket is the backbone, or the foundation, of this great game. Without it, the game would lose its soul. But how does it survive in this modern age of sports? I ask this question because we have seen around the world - except for maybe Australia and England - that people are not coming to the stadiums even though they might have an interest in the game. In order to move the game forward I believe it’s necessary to ascertain why the Test format may perhaps not be holding quite as much interest as it should. And we only need to look at other sports – and even other cricket formats - to find the key. I believe the time is right to create a world league system for Test cricket. The game needs to have a world champion every year. It’s what keeps people interested, involved and engaged. Devotees need to have events and fixtures upon which to focus; from which winners and losers are separated; and from which an eventual champion emerges. The idea of an annual Test Championship comprising one-off Test matches between the nine or ten Test-playing nations, I believe would create global interest. Four home games one year, five the next. It would mean every Test playing nation would play nine or ten Tests per year which would count towards the Championship. Crucial to the success of such a departure would be the introduction of a bonus points system so that every game has a meaning and a purpose. The top Test nations may expect to beat Bangladesh and Zimbabwe every time but the onus would be even greater, and bonus points would make things even more interesting. In today’s world of travel, it is easy to get around the world for a Test match, so logistics needn’t be a problem. Iconic series like the Ashes or India against Pakistan could still be included in the programme, as playing up to 14 or 15 Test matches in the year would still fit into the world cricket schedule. In this way the character of Test cricket would remain unchanged but the format would be altered to accommodate the new cricket entertainment landscape. There are other great ideas, put in circulation by respected “cricket people” which I believe all need to be considered as the time for change is now. I started this muse with a look to the business world and it is there that there are many lessons that can help us map a course for Test cricket. One case is the music industry that has been revolutionised by innovations such as iTunes and iPods allowing people to buy music digitally rather than on a CD. The world of cricket must be careful not to fall into the trap of protecting the wrong thing. Music companies have spent fortunes protecting CD’s with plastic covers to prevent them being stolen in stores and digital copy protection to prevent people copying the CD. In doing this they miss the point that people want the content, not the disk. Customers drive change. Successful companies line themselves up around the needs of their customers, not protecting the way things have always been. The customers in Test cricket are viewers and the viewers are delivered to Test cricket by large media networks who act as gatekeepers, paying the players and administrators and collecting a handsome profit in the process. By holding on to the past and keeping Test cricket the way it’s always been, the 5-day game is at risk of remaining perfectly intact while also being perfectly irrelevant. The successful innovations in the IPL and 20 over version of the game give indications as to where Test cricket needs to go. Just like the music industry is slowly realising that their business is about distributing music and not about distributing CD’s, so too must the ICC realise that it is in the game of sport entertainment rather than the game of Test cricket. Test crickets’ competitors are other formats of the game and other sports. How competitive it is will determine the future. If Test cricket can re-invent itself it has the potential to thrive well into the next century. If not, then we may, in the not too distant future, think nostalgically about memorable tests in the same was as we do about vinyl records today, and will do about CD’s within the next decade when we use them as placeholders for our coffee cups. The soul of this great game is under threat because of an ever changing landscape. We all know the time has come for innovative thinking to keep it alive. tag:blogs.cricinfo.com,2008:/garysdiary//138.6530 2008-03-15T08:10:41Z 2008-06-25T16:45:16Z

Just like every Indian fan, I want to win EVERY game! Paddy and I may advocate the long-term view, but we are both winners and will stop at nothing to make sure we win

Gary Kirsten

No cricket kit in the pre-tour camp © AFP

My first couple of weeks in India have been outstanding. I was fully expecting some things to differ from my expectations and I was hoping to learn from those differences and avoid disappointment because of the expectations that have been created by my own life and career. That has not happened so far - I'm still waiting! So far, all the unexpectedness has been extremely positive. I organised a pre-tour camp before South Africa arrived in India and I asked all the players to bring no cricket kit, none whatsoever. It was an important time to do other things.]]> It would have been easy to feel frustrated when this camp was cancelled but I did not. I am just the coach and there are many aspects of business and peoples' lives over which I have no control, and wish to have no control. There were good reasons for the dates of the camp to be changed and, as it transpired, we did everything we wanted to do in Chennai before the first Test began. I was happy, my coaching partner Paddy Upton was happy and so were the players and our bosses at the BCCI. So everything that Paddy and I were keen to do was accomplished, the players enjoyed the time and nothing was lost. My coaching philosophy does not need to happen in my time-frame, as long as it happens. Results are everything in professional sport. And sometimes they can be nothing, too. Results determine the short to medium term future of players and coaches and the longer term future for administrators, but sometimes it is crucial for all of those directly involved in professional sport to take a small step back from the importance of next week's game in order to ensure the best results for the next year or two, or five. It has been fantastic to have Paddy on board for the start of my time with India and I have no doubt it will have a significant bearing on India's long-term prospects. Having said that, I cannot lie. Just like every Indian fan, I want to win EVERY game! Paddy and I may advocate the long-term view, but we are both winners and will stop at nothing to make sure we win next week! tag:blogs.cricinfo.com,2008:/garysdiary//138.6529 2008-03-10T07:35:47Z 2008-06-25T16:45:16Z

Gary is a bit more of a pasta and braai-guy, and it's been fascinating to watch him fast becoming a chilli-loving vegetarian... and he claims that he's really getting hooked

Gary Kirsten

No trouble mixing with South African players in India © Getty Images

I've asked Paddy to pen a few words updating you on what has been happening over the past weeks. Over to Paddy... Paddy: Since the last post, both Gary and I have been through a period where the learning curve has sufficiently steep that it's resembled an overhang. We have just had dinner together at the hotel in Ahmedebad, where we reflected on the past 2 weeks. I thought I'd share some of that conversation. Talking about dinner, or Indian food more generally, let me start by answering probably our most frequently asked question; "so how are you finding the food?" My two most favourite foods are South and North Indian (the jury is out on which tops the other), which at home my wife cooks probably every second day. I now get to eat it 3 times a day, actually more if I count the snacks, so I am as happy as a Paddy in an Indian restaurant. Gary is a bit more of a pasta and braai-guy, and it's been fascinating to watch him fast becoming a chilli-loving vegetarian... and he claims that he's really getting hooked. Although he still fancies the ice-cream dessert rather than the delicious Indian desserts that I am yet to learn how to spell, never mind pronounce. ]]> Probably more significant than talking food is the fact that we've just been beaten in a Test match by the South African team, by players who we know well, and many of whom have been Gary's team-mates and clients of mine. Naturally this was one of the topics of reflections over dinner. We both confessed to initially having some anxiety about meeting the SA players in India, wondering what it would feel like to be greeting them from the opposition bench. The first time we met, wearing opposing team colours, was at a function celebrating Anil Kumble's 600 test wickets. To both of our pleasant surprise the meeting was as natural and comfortable as it has always been before we donned the Indian colours, no discomfort, no awkwardness, and no ill-feeling - the latter which we didn't really expect anyway. And what does it feel like to be planning and putting our every effort into beating our home country? The truth, for both of us, is that with every part of us we want and are willing India to win. The disappointment of defeat at the hands of the South Africans in the last Test burned us as much as it did the Indians. It hurts. That said, if six months ago someone suggested that we would so badly want India to beat South Africa in a Test match, we would have seriously wanted to know what that person had been smoking. Pondering this change in allegiance, the simple equation is that this is a part of the global and professional world in which we all live. CEOs move from one company to a competitor next door, rugby/ cricketers/ soccer players move from one province/ country to another, and coaches move from one team to another. While the late Bob Woolmer, who Gary and I both worked with, was an English test cricketer who coached SA and Pakistan, it was Duncan Fletcher, a Zimbabwean, living in South Africa who was coaching England, Woolmer's home team? Research into how the human mind thinks shows that patriotism and professionalism are found at different levels of thinking. Certainly in Gary and my situation, we have experienced this that we have been able to take a fully professional approach, one which dictates that we want India to win. And one which as South Africans we have become surprisingly comfortable with - in fact Gary's four-year old son Joshua spent his time here in India wearing the Indian cricket supporters shirt. All he wanted was that dad's team would win. On the field of play there is no inch asked nor given between the teams nor coaching staff, and off the field, both Gary and I have shared the usual good relations with the SA players and their coaches, particularly with Mickey Arthur and the effervescent Goolam Rajah, the SA team logistics manager whose work is legendary in the cricket world. "How have you found India?" is another question the layman/ pressman has asked us a lot. India is a fascinating place, it has a fascinating array of cultures and the people are in general welcoming, gentle natured, friendly and full of smiles. Where ever we drive in the team bus, I can't help staring out the window at a sea of the worlds broadest smiles that are projected by every women, children, adult and aged as their hero's pass. When they hear the sirens of our escort vehicle, people coming running from their shops, homes and balconies with cell phone cameras waving wildly, hoping to get a picture, a glimpse or even a wave from someone on the bus. It is a huge privilege they bestow upon these cricketers, to receive such admiration and support from so many people, miles more so than any of the other cricket-playing nations. In the last few years since our last visit, when we both wore SA cricket colours, the much spoken about fast emerging economy is evident. Roads seem better, hotels are more and better, cricket facilities are improved, it is easier to travel and make your way around as a foreigner... and even the amount of English spoken seems to be more than before. All this adds to the excitement and anticipation of being here for the next two years. Not only are we only slap-bang in the middle of the cricket hub of the world, but we really get the sense that we are in an exciting and energetic economic hub of activity. Despite being 1-0 down in our first series as coaches of the Indian team, the future looks bright - at the same time we are under no illusion of the work that is required. I guess every parent, businessman, teenager, student, manager, coach, leader at some stage are going to find themselves in tough circumstances - the middle of the fire, as we find currently ourselves. Both of us can certainly feel the heat, but are not getting burned. How? We are sticking to what we know works; ensuring that we leave no stone unturned in our planning and preparation; that we create open and honest lines of communication with all the players and support staff; knowing that most of the answers to what needs to be done exist within the system, that we remain centred and clear-headed whilst balancing short-, medium-, and long-term thinking. The focus remains on quality and not quantity, and that each player and support staff member takes ownership of personal responsibility, accountability, pride in performance, and 'laying their body on the line'. Regardless of the result, if everyone can go to sleep at night knowing that they have given their 100%, then that is all the coaches and fans can ask. It is a big ask, but it goes with the territory. And it is the same for anyone wanting to get to the top of big pile, which is one thing ... and to stay there and consistently succeed, which is another. tag:blogs.cricinfo.com,2008:/garysdiary//138.6528 2008-03-04T07:06:23Z 2008-06-25T16:45:16Z

The most obvious question I have been asked about the beginning of my two-year contract has been about the fact that we are playing against South Africa. Whilst I appreciate the fascination and irony about the scheduling, I must say that everybody else seems far more fascinated by that aspect of the contest than I do

Gary Kirsten

I feel completely 'Indian' as we approach the series © AFP

First of all, many thanks to so many of you for the words of encouragement and support I have received over the last few months. From the moment I accepted the job I have been inundated with good wishes, not to mention requests for interviews! Apologies if I have been unable to respond personally to all of you, but I'm still trying. I was never in doubt about the enormity of the position as coach of India but if I had been unsure then I certainly would not be by now. I have only been in Bangalore for a few days but I'm settling in very quickly, as I knew I would. My wife, Deborah, hasn't been to India since the South African tour of 1997 and is amazed by the changes the country has undergone. Having two small children this time around will also ensure that it is a very different experience!]]> I am delighted to be able to confirm that Paddy Upton has agreed terms with the BCCI to join me as mental and fitness coach to the national squad. Paddy and I have a connection going all the way back to school days and, of course, he was part of the South African national team as fitness trainer in the mid '90s while I was playing. More recently we became business partners when we established Performance Zone 18 months ago, a business focusing on assisting people to improve both business and sports performance. Our third partner in Performance Zone, master coach Dale Williams, will be looking after our business interests while we focus on Indian cricket. There are some exciting new projects we are working on and we'll tell you more about them in my next posts. The most obvious question I have been asked about the beginning of my two-year contract has been about the fact that we are playing against South Africa. Whilst I appreciate the fascination and irony about the scheduling, I must say that everybody else seems far more fascinated by that aspect of the contest than I do. To be honest, having spent three highly enjoyable and productive weeks with the Indian team in Australia, and having maintained almost daily contact with Anil Kumble and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, I feel completely 'Indian' as we approach the series. I won't ever renounce my nationality, obviously, but I like to think of cricket as a completely professional game and I am a professional. But it goes beyond that. I feel passionate about the Indian team, and Indian cricket. The Indian team, given its numbers and resources, should be dominating world cricket. On the field as well as off it! I would love to be a part of that happening. My time with Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Kumble, Sourav Ganguly, Dhoni and VVS Laxman- as well as the incredibly talented youngsters in the squad, has been invigorating and inspiring. I can't wait for the real stuff to begin. We will continue to use this blog to keep you up to date on what is happening within our world. With the South Africans coming out to India in the next few weeks, our first challenge is going to take them on with the best that we have. Thank you once again for your generous support and please pass this blog along to anyone wanting to follow our progress in India and keep up with the latest thinking in the world of performance.