If rumours are to be believed, ex-South African cricketer and former India Men’s team head coach Gary Kirsten has applied for India women cricket team’s head coach position. Kirsten was India’s World Cup-winning team’s coach in 2011 when they became the first team to win world cup at home.
According to a report in The Times of India, a top BCCI source has confirmed that Kirsten has indeed applied for the job after inquiring about the position. The South African is respected among the Indian cricketing fraternity for his contribution to the Indian cricket, as well as for grooming MS Dhoni as a captain.
Of the 13 applications for the job, the 51-year-old will be be one of the top contenders post controversy between Ramesh Powar and Mithali Raj. As per accounts of various cricketers, Kirsten not only manages the cricketers well but communicates with them, a trait which Powar supposedly lacked leading to problems with Mithali.
However, Kirsten is not the only South African who has applied for the job. Former explosive South African opener Herschelle Gibbs is in the race too.
Twitterati are delighted with the news as well as they shared their thoughts:
If he doesn’t win any trophies, at least we can be assured that there won’t be any politics in the team and everyone gets their due
— SJT (@jsyed90) December 15, 2018
Exactly!
Was, is or will there ever a doubt abt that? He is best suited especially after the fued between @ImHarmanpreet and @M_Raj03. The man who led India to WC title and managed egos of seniors like Sachin, Sourav and Rahul is the man for the job. Pick him before he changes mind @BCCI
— Trishul Sinha (@Trishulsinha) December 15, 2018
Right away?
Why are BCCI even thinking about it ?
Send regret letters to all the other applicants right away !— Daraius Ardeshir (@DEArdeshir) December 14, 2018
The Chak De India reference
Just disregard all other applications! We’ve found the Kabir Khan of cricket!
— Abhinay Solipeta (@AbhinaySolipeta) December 15, 2018
Will Kirsten get the power?
Tremendous interest for the position of head coach for the women’s Indian team.
The stakes just went up with Gary Kirsten throwing his hat in the ring. But Ramesh Powar has the players on his side.
20 Dec is going to be an interesting day. @BCCIWomen owes @ImHarmanpreet one pic.twitter.com/60Y9NMPhIP— Anand Datla (@SportaSmile) December 15, 2018
If only he replicates it with Indian women cricket team
This guy has already proven his team bonding, performance and personality by being coah of Men’s team. He is most likely to be selected if this report is to be believed.
— Pankaj Sinha (@psinha18) December 15, 2018
Absolute best
The best news on sports front! It will do a world for good for @BCCIWomen cricket
— Praveen Nimbalkar (@praveenimbalkar) December 14, 2018
Other candidates who have thrown in their hats into the mix are: Atul Bedade (India), David Johnson (India), Rakesh Sharma (India), Manoj Prabhakar (India), Owais Shah (England), Dimitri Mascarenhas (England), Dominic Thornely (Australia), Gargi Banerji (India, former woman cricketer), Vidyut Jaisimha (India), Colin Siller (Australia), Dav Whatmore (Australia) and Ramesh Powar (India).
Powar has decided to send his application as well. He has been backed by T20I skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana and CoA member Diana Edulji.
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