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'Tactically one of the best coaches in the IPL': Gary Kirsten preserves huge praise for former India player
Gary Kirsten was part of the coaching staff for Gujarat Titans, who went and won the title in their debut IPL season.
Gujarat Titans had their fair share of critics before the start of the season, chiefly due to the players they bought during the auction and for choosing Hardik Pandya as their captain. However, they defied all those opinions and went and won the title in their debut season itself.
They also did it in style, dominating the league stage before beating second-placed Rajasthan Royals twice in Qualifier 2 and the final. While Pandya's captaincy and personal form with ball and bat, alongwith the form of their senior players was seen as chief factors for their success, a lot of praise has gone to their coaching staff as well.
Gary Kirsten, team mentor and bowling coach for the Gujarat Titans this season, said that it was good to have bowling coach Ashish Nehra because the former India fast bowler is "tactically one of the best coaches in the IPL".
“Ashish is a close friend and we have walked a long journey together. As a player I enjoyed his willingness to keep understanding his game and his professionalism. He coaches with his heart, always thinking about his players and how he can help them,” Kirsten told Cricbuzz.
Kirsten and Nehra have had a long association. Apart from the fact that Nehra and Kirsten were both previously part of the Royal Challengers Bangalore's coaching staff, Nehra played a majority of his international matches while Kirsten was head coach of the Indian team.
“He's low profile and does not like the spotlight. He is tactically one of the best coaches in the IPL and is always talking to his players about how to make better performances,” said Kirsten.
"Ashish wants his players to have options and he helps them understand when to use them. A set game-plan is not possible in the IPL; the matches are extremely complex with new scenarios happening all the time. This requires in-the-moment planning and players who can think for themselves and adjust a game-plan or use a different strategy in an over.
As coaches, we help the players think through this. I think we complement each other really well, and we trust each other's work. I played the role of assisting him in his thinking and wherever I could, just to keep the wheels on track," said Kirsten.
