Not Winning the 2011 ODI World Cup, THIS Was Gary Kirsten's BIGGEST Challenge as India Coach

On April 2, 2011, under MS Dhoni’s leadership, India lifted the ODI World Cup after 28 years. They defeated Sri Lanka by six wickets with 10 balls to spare as they chased down the target of 275 and became the first hosts to win the title. It was the second of three ICC titles won under Dhoni from 2007 to 2013.

Man Behind the Scenes

While Dhoni and Gambhir were the stars of the final and Yuvraj Singh was India’s hero over the course of the tournament, one man who was quietly working from behind the scenes and playing his part in the title win was the coach. Former South African opener Gary Kirsten was the man who was sitting in the background and strategising what needed to be done. He was the unsung hero for India in the competition.

© X/BCCI

Shocking Revelation

At an event by Yugen Infra in New Delhi on August 6, Kirsten was asked about his biggest challenge as the India coach. The answer everyone expected was winning the 2011 ODI World Cup. But his answer was not what people were expecting. Kirsten revealed that it was to get Ishant Sharma to bat in the nets and face 48 balls to win a Test for India.

“The biggest challenge was getting Ishant Sharma to come down to the nets with his bat and pads and then to get him to face 48 balls in a Test match against Australia with VVS Laxman to win the Test match. That was a highlight for me to work on his batting. I really enjoyed that from a leadership perspective because he didn’t think he could bat, and he still can’t bat that well. But we kind of helped him get through that Test match and do really well in it," he said as per News18.

© X/BCCI

Epic Test Match

The match being referred to here was played in Mohali in 2010. India were chasing a target of 216 and were reeling at 124/8. Ishant joined VVS Laxman and the duo put on 81 runs for the ninth wicket. Ishant made a 92-ball 31 while Laxman was there at the end when India scraped home by one wicket with 73 not out in 79 balls. Ishant’s support was crucial as he provided support. It was Kirsten’s hard work that helped him achieve it.

Kirsten’s Legacy as a Player

Kirsten represented South Africa for over a decade. In 101 Tests, he played 176 innings with 14 not-outs and scored 7289 runs at an average of 44.89 with 21 100s and 34 50s along with a top score of 275. In ODIs, he played 185 matches and batted on all occasions while being unbeaten 18 times and made 6798 runs while scoring 13 100s and 45 50s with a personal best of 188 not out.