Hyderabad: Former South Africa cricketer Gary Kirsten has jogged down memory lane and recalled his time as the coach of Team India and his relationship with legendary batsman Sachin Tendulkar.
Kirsten revealed Tendulkar wasn't happy with his batting position and was looking to end his career in 2007. India had also crashed out of the group stage of the World Cup in West Indies the same year.
"I ended up having a great coaching journey with him. If I think of Sachin at the time, where he was when I arrived in India... he wanted to give up the game," Kirsten said.
"According to him he was batting out of position. He wasn't enjoying his cricket at all."
Kirsten, who took over the hotseat officially in March 2008, stated he helped Tendulkar reinvigorate his game, not by teaching him something different but create an environment for him to thrive.
From the time Kirsten took over till the end of 2011 World Cup, Tendulkar played 38 ODIs and hit 1,958 runs including seven centuries (one double ton). During the same time, he smashed 2,910 runs in 31 Tests including 12 centuries.
"And then he scores 18 international hundreds (19 actually) in three years. Goes back to batting where he wants to bat and we won the World Cup," Kirsten said.
"For me, all I did was facilitate the environment for him to thrive. I didn't have to tell him anything... he knew the game.
"What he did need was an environment... not only him but everyone... an environment where they can be the best versions of themselves," Kirsten added.
In the 2007 Caribbean World Cup, coach Greg Chappell demoted Sachin's batting position. The former ODI opener was asked to bat at No. 4 against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka while in the match against Bermuda Tendulkar was sent to bat at the sixth spot. It was later heard that then India captain Rahul Dravid had an argument with Chappell regarding Sachin's batting position. But the Australian didn't agree as Sachin continued to bat as a middle-order batsman.
