Flying out with flying colours

Over the next three years,the Men in Blue,however,would get accustomed to the affable yet introvert former Protea opener’s ways. And as he capped off probably one of the most successful coaching stints in recent times by helping his team lift the World Cup,the Indian team didn’t give him a choice. They simply hoisted an evidently reluctant Kirsten upon their shoulders and carried him around the Wankhede Stadium. It was their way of displaying immense gratitude to a man,who had lifted them from a perennial mid-card status to world champions,while wielding his magic wand from the background.

Kirsten in fact had been Sherlock Holmesian in his style. He was almost always the first man to arrive and would prove to be omnipresent during every single one of the team’s practice sessions. But he also was the last man to leave the dressing room,when it came to celebrating his team’s victories,always allowing his players to walk away with all the credit and the ensuing plaudits.

Kirsten,however,couldn’t help but be the centre of attention on Tuesday,as he faced a populous Indian media contingent for one last time as the coach of their national team to officially announce his resignation from a post that he insisted repeatedly was really dear to him. Donning the Indian team blazer tagged along with a tie representing the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI),the 43-year-old South African displayed a variety of emotions — and a rare glimpse of his sentimental side — while bidding farewell to his adopted land.

And while heaping praise on Mahendra Singh Dhoni and calling him the best captain in world cricket presently,Kirsten also thanked his skipper for having allowed him the luxury of avoiding inquisitions at the hands of the media.

“I must thank MS (Dhoni) for that,as he handled that side of things wonderfully. As a result,I didn’t have to come out too often and answer your questions about what went wrong with the team,” he said sporting a huge grin.

While a number of job offers have been lined-up before him,for now,spending time with the family is utmost on Kirsten’s mind. And the only budding cricketer who stands to gain from this decision is his son Joshua.

“But he hardly listens to me and insists on continuing with his own technique of holding the bat. Probably he knows something that I don’t. Rather than force the issue with him,I think I’ll have to use the same tactics of coaching that I did with the Indian team and allow him to better his own style,” joked Kirsten.

And despite revealing that he had experienced mixed feelings and lot more emotions whenever India took on South Africa during his stint,especially the Cape Town Test earlier in the year,Kirsten did admit to have been pleased to see his home country exit the World Cup at an early stage.

Occasionally holding back tears,he also kept reiterating his wish to keep visiting India often. “A huge part of my heart remains in this country,with its beautiful people. A large part of my life will always be with India,” he said,while adding,“It has been one of the hardest goodbyes I have had to say.”