Unless there is a drastic turn of events, Gary Kirsten has taken part in his last bilateral series as India's coach. A senior BCCI official confirmed that Kirsten has expressed to the board his desire to not extend his coaching contract with India because of family commitments. In all likelihood, the World Cup will now be his last assignment with India, Cricinfo reported.
"It is a topic that has been discussed at length for a long time. I can confirm that he will not continue his coaching assignment with India after the World Cup," the official said. "Everyone was keen that Gary continue for another term, perhaps of three years. The team and the coach have developed an excellent rapport over the last three years. Everyone can see the results, which are obvious. Gary has also put in a lot of effort behind the scenes to bolster team spirit and oneness among the unit. We must respect his decision, especially because it is based on family commitments."
The official said that the task of identifying a successor will be an important one because while "his legacy will benefit the successor", Kirsten's will be big boots to fill for any coach. India rose to their much-cherished No. 1 ranking in Tests under Kirsten's watch, and developed a habit of often coming back from dire situations.
That Kirsten is unlikely to continue after the World Cup doesn't come as a big surprise. He has previously spoken of wanting to spend more time with his family, and India's captain MS Dhoni, had also said that the team would respect Kirsten's choice, according to Cricinfo report.