Gary Kirsten backed for England cricket team coach job
Former Indian cricket team head coach Gary Kirsten is being backed for taking over England. The South African legend is being touted as the perfect replacement for Trevor Bayliss. Former England captain Michael Atherton and Proteas all-rounder Lance Klusener have thrown their weight behind Kirsten. Kirsten has emerged as the leading contender after Bayliss departed post The Ashes 2019. Here's more.
2011 World Cup winning coach Kirsten, who also coached South Africa, is reportedly in talks with England director of cricket Ashley Giles. He had also helped South Africa to reach the top of the ICC Test Rankings in 2012. Kirsten also was the coach of Big Bash League side Hobart Hurricanes in 2017. He was the head coach of RCB in IPL 2019.
Atherton said Kirsten's immediate focus should be in providing the structure needed to improve fourth-ranked England's standing in Tests. "The one-day team is in good shape and runs itself under Eoin Morgan, while the test team are in need of some tender loving care," Atherton added. "The captain, Joe Root, (is) in need of a coach to apply greater structure."
"It's dangerous to fall into the trap of thinking a foreign accent makes you a better candidate, but no English coach has such an impressive CV as Kirsten's," former opener Atherton wrote in the Times newspaper.
Current Afghanistan head coach Klusener also backed Kirsten as well and feels he will bring in a lot of experience. "What is he going to bring? Loads and loads of experience," Klusener told the BBC. "He brings winning, so that for me is vitally important."
