“And then he scores 18 international hundreds (19 actually) in three years.”
The coach of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 winning Indian team Gary Kirsten being carried on the shoulders of the champion team after India defeated Sri Lanka in the finals to lift the World Cup. (Photo: Twitter/@ICC)
Former Indian coach Gary Kirsten has recalled his stint with the Indian team and his relationship with batting legend Sachin Tendulkar.
Kirsten revealed that the Indian batting maestro was not happy with his batting position in the team and was in fact considering retirement in 2007. India had also crashed out of the group stage of the World Cup after losing to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in West Indies in the same year.
“I ended up having a great coaching journey with him. If I think of Sachin at the time, where he was when I arrived in India… he wanted to give up the game,” Kirsten said during talkSPORT podcast The Cricket Collective on Spotify.
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“According to him he was batting out of position. He wasn’t enjoying his cricket at all.”
Kirsten further stated that he helped Tendulkar find his game by not teaching him anything different but creating an environment for him where he could give his best.
“And then he scores 18 international hundreds (19 actually) in three years. Goes back to batting where he wants to bat and we won the World Cup,” Kirsten said.
“For me, all I did was facilitate the environment for him to thrive. I didn’t have to tell him anything… he knew the game.
“What he did need was an environment… not only him but everyone… an environment where they can be the best versions of themselves,” Kirsten added.
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