Gary Kirsten starts new chapter: appointed Namibia coach, eyes T20 World Cup glory

Windhoek (The Uttam Hindu): The 2011 ODI World Cup is a special event in Indian cricket history, as Team India captured the trophy after 28 years. Gary Kirsten, the then head coach who played a key role alongside Mahendra Singh Dhoni in that historic victory, has now been appointed a consultant to the Namibian national men's cricket team. Kirsten will now work closely with Namibian head coach Craig Williams to prepare the team for next year's T20 World Cup.

Gary Kirsten expressed his delight at his new appointment. He said it was a privilege to be associated with Cricket Namibia. He praised Namibia's cricket infrastructure, saying their new state-of-the-art cricket stadium was proof that they were ready to compete with the best cricketing nations in the world. Kirsten stated that Namibia's senior team has been performing consistently well, and he was excited to contribute to the team's preparations for the upcoming T20 World Cup.

Gary Kirsten's coaching career has been illustrious and rich in experience. He entered the world of coaching after retiring from cricket in 2004. In 2007, he was appointed head coach of the Indian team, leading India to World Cup glory in 2011. He subsequently coached the South African national team and several T20 franchise teams around the world. It's worth noting that in 2024, he also took over as head coach of the Pakistan men's team.

Gary Kirsten's record as a player is also unparalleled. He made his Test debut for South Africa in 1993 and went on to play over 100 Test matches for his country. In 101 Test matches, he scored 7289 runs with the help of 21 centuries and 34 half-centuries. In ODI cricket, he has 6798 runs with 13 centuries. He played his last international match in 2004, and since then, he has been continuously working to nurture new players.