Gary Kirsten calls Harbhajan Singh the 'most enjoyable character' during his India stint

Hailed as one of the best ever coaches India have ever had, former South African opener Gary Kirsten has heaped praise on the country’s domestic structure and its ability to churn out quality young players at regular intervals.

In an interview with NDTV, the 48-year old also looked back at his successful collaboration with Indian cricket and opened up on veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh’s humorous side in the dressing room.

Currently participating in a coaching camp with Rajasthan Cricket Academy, Kirsten said, “It is fantastic to have so many players at the first-class level. Wherever you go within India, quality young players are churned out. I have always maintained, right from 2008, there is no reason why Indian cricket should not continuously be the best team in the world with the amount of resources available here.”

He added, “I mean, look at their Test side now, there are some high-quality players that have been successful at the international level. They’ve got a great leader in Virat Kohli who is a fantastic player in his own right. Under his leadership, I don’t see any reason why they cannot do well for many, many years.”

Interestingly, Kohli made his international debut during an ODI against Sri Lanka in 2008 when Kirsten was India’s coach. Following a euphoric triumph in the 2011 World Cup, the left-hander opted not to renew his contract citing family commitments.

Recalling his coaching stint, Kirsten quipped, “It’s been a fantastic experience. I loved the three years with the Indian team and think I learnt as much as I was maybe able to share in any way. We just tried to create an environment where people could perform at their best. It was a cherished memory for me. I love the deep passion for the game, and the fact that you can go to any part of India and find good cricketers. That’s got to be exciting.”

On some funny incidents during his tenure, he noted, “Suffice to say, there were characters in the team that you experienced. I still think Bhajji (Harbhajan Singh) for me was the most enjoyable player to be involved in the Indian team. He was a very funny man and was always doing things that would make people laugh. I really enjoyed his company and you really need characters like him on a cricket team especially when you are together over so many days for a long period of time.”