Gary Kirstan could be the answer to Sri Lanka’s cricketing woes if he is allowed a free hand. BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE. (eLanka Sports Editor)
Sri Lanka cricket fans are justified in the expectation of a better tomorrow with the choice of Gary Kirstan to the position of Head Coach following the resignation of Sanath Jayasuriya after an unsuccessful T20 World Cup.
The accomplished former South African opener who has an outstanding record as a cricketer and coach, raises expectations of a change of fortunes to a fledgling nation that has been starved of success at the top for over a decade.
But guns and roses are not guaranteed by just hiring a proven coach who lifted the profile of India and his home country South Africa to world number one status.
Kirstan has established himself as a no nonsense man who needs to be left alone as he goes about his craft.
With Sri Lanka’s usually interfering culture, the test of how the two different settings can find compromise to achieving desired objectives is of consequence.
We’ve seen the departures of many great foreign coaches viz, Geoff Marsh, Tom Moody, Graham Ford, and more recently Chris Silverwood depart for reasons unknown or related to political interference.
So Kirstan enters the Lions den, probably well versed on prior knowledge about his predecessors journey in a environment that is, and will always be unconventional.
Left alone to ply his craft, Kirstan can swing Sri Lanka’s fortunes around, particularly in the area of consistency, discipline and mental preparation. He will demand accountability from his charges and make them earn the national cap.
My assertion about this stems from his previous assignments with successful teams who gave him a free hand to go about his business unhindered.
The choice of Kirstan by Sri Lanka Cricket, must be lauded while they attempt to fend off a barrage of accusations of personal interest over the national team’s success, by fans and disgruntled former players.
Sanath Jayasuriya was not a total failure in the role, but a local coach will always be unwittingly drawn into difficult choices as has been witnessed before, notably the spiteful split between Chandika Hathurusinghe and Sri Lanka Cricket before the coach was sacked before his contracted ended.
Sri Lanka, like several Asian countries, are not an easy environment to work in particularly with communication, but skill and ability is something that cannot be coached at this level, just subtle adjustments and mental approach.
Kirstan has established himself as a man with a penchant for taking on and overcoming challenges.
Sri Lanka cricket fans are hoping he will be an asset to their World Cup aspirations in South Africa in 2027, but most importantly, beyond his two year contract which is viewed as a strategic choice to their success in familiar territory.
Sri Lanka’s cricketing resurrection could well be in the hands of South Africa’s cricketing maestro.
