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Kirsten admits to uncertain loyalties
India coach Gary Kirsten has admitted that there were moments before the India-SA Test series when he was uncertain about his loyalties.
- Press Trust of India
- Updated: April 16, 2008 09:49 AM IST
Read Time:2 min
Durban:
"Whatever I may have said previously, I'd be lying if I said I never had any doubts about my loyalties if the result of the series was delicately balanced," Kirsten was quoted as saying by The Beeld newspaper in Durban.
The Indians managed to draw the series 1-1 after winning the third and final Test in Kanpur inside three days on a turning track.
And Kirsten said despite the pre-series dilemmas, he had become very clear as to which team he wanted to support by the time India wrapped up the series.
"I'm happy to be able to say I wanted India to win the last Test," he said.
Kirsten was a part of the South African team till 2004 before retiring from international cricket. He took over India's coach last month.
Kirsten said coaching an international team like India is tough and he draws inspiration from his late coach Bob Woolmer to deal with the high-pressure job.
"I remember how Bob lived for his job as international coach. Even though the players told him not to get worked up for nothing, he could not calm down," he recalled.
Gary Kirsten's first official assignment as India's cricket coach happened to be against the team he was once part of and the former South African opener admitted that there were moments before the drawn Test series when he was uncertain about his loyalties."Whatever I may have said previously, I'd be lying if I said I never had any doubts about my loyalties if the result of the series was delicately balanced," Kirsten was quoted as saying by The Beeld newspaper in Durban.
The Indians managed to draw the series 1-1 after winning the third and final Test in Kanpur inside three days on a turning track.
And Kirsten said despite the pre-series dilemmas, he had become very clear as to which team he wanted to support by the time India wrapped up the series.
"I'm happy to be able to say I wanted India to win the last Test," he said.
Kirsten was a part of the South African team till 2004 before retiring from international cricket. He took over India's coach last month.
Kirsten said coaching an international team like India is tough and he draws inspiration from his late coach Bob Woolmer to deal with the high-pressure job.
"I remember how Bob lived for his job as international coach. Even though the players told him not to get worked up for nothing, he could not calm down," he recalled.
Topics mentioned in this article
Cricket Gary Kirsten
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