Indian cricket team's coach Gary Kirsten has revealed how he has turned the team from being perpetual underachievers to a dominant Test team in the world within two years.
When asked about his successful stint with Team India when many foreign coaches have failed in the subcontinent, Kirsten said: "It was very different, I probably made a few errors up front, coming in with a South African mentality."
"I spent a lot of time learning and understanding the environment, being very respectful of the Indian way: this is a very good cricket country, this is how they do things. And I buy into that, and I said what ways can I influence them to make an even better team?," the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Kirsten, as saying.
"I think once you come from a platform of really buying into the way they play cricket, then you only look at it from a positive point of view," he added.
He further said that the one thing that has been great is seeing how cricket is played in another country and culture.
"They're very different to an Australian mindset, very different to a South African mindset," Kirsten said.
Kirsten's comment came after India's 2-0 Test series win against Australia, which has seen the team maintain its top spot in the ICC Test rankings ahead of South Africa.
Apart from clinching the Border-Gavaskar trophy, he also coached India to its first bilateral series win against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka, and India's first ODI series victory against New Zealand in New Zealand after 40 years.
The 42-year-old has also been praised by all players, including Sachin Tendulkar, for enhancing their playing techniques, motivating them and discussing tactics that can be deployed on the field.
