Gary Kirsten Not Renewing His Contract With CSA

Has to be the biggest WTF moment I've had on Cricinfo for a while (actually, only since Gayle's 175). Thought he'd be coach until the World Cup at the very least.

Timing is suspicious...just before India tours SA
*Breaking* FICA has alleged a hand of BCCI in this

A bit of a surprise, but another indication of the stresses of international coaching, particularly for those with families.

Russell Domingo to get the job? Or will they try and lure Tom Moody out of the commentary box?

KP_fan wrote:Timing is suspicious...just before India tours SA
*Breaking* FICA has alleged a hand of BCCI in this

Blaming BCCI for every scratch is not fair...He has given his best to both India and SA, and after his desire to step down we should respect his decision..

We should accept and respect Kirsten's decision, I remember before he signed for Sa he was sceptical then and was already talking of wanting to spend more time with his family.

I guess that is why he only signed for two years in the first place.

No funny business here.

Domingo's already been named, they don't waste any time. Had heard Geoffrey Toyana's named mentioned though I'm not sure how in how much seriousness.

Toyana is a future Protea coach, but as of now, like Domingo before him, he has to earn them stripes. Hopefully Russel stays for a while. Since Mickey Arthur, neither Corrie van Zyl nor Gary have seen the other side of a two year contract

True, but Corrie v Zyl was always just a stand in coach and Gary Kirsten was always in doubt as to how long he still wants to be away from his family.

What can you tell us about Domingo, Biltong?

of course, South Africa's Test team is now playing at such a high level that a high-profile coach is not really needed....

I know nothing of him mate.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/current/story/518583.html

Cricinfo knows more than I do.

shivfan wrote:What can you tell us about Domingo, Biltong?

of course, South Africa's Test team is now playing at such a high level that a high-profile coach is not really needed....

All I know is he coached the Warriors in their most successfull period and he also gave Gary Kirsten his first coaching job, before he went to India. But I think the article Biltong pointed to will tell more than that.

One of the best thing Gary did was give players responsibility. They had very minimal compulsory practise. The rest was optional, as long as Domingo doesnt try to prove his the new sheriff in town, the good times should keep rolling.

Kirsten achieved surpsiignly more with India then he did with SA

KP_fan wrote:Kirsten achieved surpsiignly more with India then he did with SA

how do you figure that?

Biltong wrote:

KP_fan wrote:Kirsten achieved surpsiignly more with India then he did with SA

how do you figure that?

World Cup Win
test Match ranking No.1
not a single home seris loss during his tenure

KP_fan wrote:

Biltong wrote:

KP_fan wrote:Kirsten achieved surpsiignly more with India then he did with SA

how do you figure that?

World Cup Win
test Match ranking No.1
not a single home seris loss during his tenure

You aren't comparing apples with apples mate, Kirsten won't be there for a world cup, SA reached number 1 under Kirsten with a much bigger margin ahead of their nearest rival, and 1 series draw then 6 tests series wins in succession.

Can't get more comprehensive than that. Away series wins in England, and Australia.

12 wins, 5 draws, 2 losses for a win ratio of 76%

Biltong wrote:

KP_fan wrote:

Biltong wrote:

KP_fan wrote:Kirsten achieved surpsiignly more with India then he did with SA

how do you figure that?

World Cup Win
test Match ranking No.1
not a single home seris loss during his tenure

You aren't comparing apples with apples mate, Kirsten won't be there for a world cup, SA reached number 1 under Kirsten with a much bigger margin ahead of their nearest rival, and 1 series draw then 6 tests series wins in succession.

Can't get more comprehensive than that. Away series wins in England, and Australia.

12 wins, 5 draws, 2 losses for a win ratio of 76%

The success fo Kirsten is not in absolute records or stats......but his acheivements relative to the history of Indian cricket:

1) First time drawn test series in SA
2) Only the second series win in NZ in it's entire history...the last one came 40 years back
3) and the firts ever ODI series win in NZ
4) first ever test series win in SL
5) No home series loss
6) An off-course "The World Cup" that he won for India...compared to the futuristic world-cup that he may or may not have won for SA even if he had continuted so far.
7) and the No.1 crown that lasted 18 monthhs or so

Kirsten did well with India, though I do feel, at least in Tests, that he might have been lucky in the timing.

He arrived at a time when his rivals weren't playing well - England unspectacular under Moores, SA lacking the killer instinct, Australia already past their best. His India side, already packed full of star players took advantage of that to pick up more wins than during the previous period. The main strategy, however, was quite simply to out-bat the opposition. Although Zaheer and at times Harbhajan were good its very difficult to argue that India ever had one of the 3 or 4 best attacks in Test cricket or were ever among the best 5 or 6 fielding sides.

A lot of credit must go to Kirsten for avoiding the in-fighting which dominated the Chapple regime, but I'm not sure he'd have faired much better in England or Australia than Fletcher did. Hindsight suggests he left at the right moment. All of a sudden after that World Cup win the powers of Sachin, VVS, Sehwag, Zaheer, Harbhajan and eventually Dravid in Australia started to decline.