Munbai, April 6: The man who mentored MS Dhoni’s men to the pinnacle of Test cricket and made them the ODI world champions is bidding adieu.

Gary Kirsten is by far the most successful Indian cricket coach. But the legacy he leaves behind is way more valuable than the results and numbers. Right through his three years in the Indian dressing room, the South African has been a friend, philosopher and guide to the veterans and youngsters in the unit alike. As he prepared to return home with his wife and kids, Kirsten looked back at his memorable Indian sojourn.

“It was interesting to come into this job without any coaching experience. I used my reference points as a player to understand how I was going to work with these individuals,” Kirsten said during his farewell press conference at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai. “It did help that I had played a bit of cricket against some players and had gained their respect from my playing days. But it was challenging for me and Paddy Upton to come in and start afresh on how we’re going to work with this team.”

Kirsten, who is popular amongst all Indian players – right from Sachin Tendulkar to Cheteshwar Pujara – said his first task on joining the team in October 2008 was to gain the confidence of players and make them feel comfortable. He acknowledged the role of his mate and India’s mental conditioning coach Paddy Upton in this regard.

“Building relationships with each individual and building trust within the environment topped our agenda. We wanted the team to be a family and the players to know that we had come to India to get the best out of them. That we weren’t here for any personal glory and for us it was all about doing a good job and making sure India becomes the best team in the world.

“With the help of Paddy, we were able to create an environment where this team didn’t feel that they’re representing themselves but Team India. And Sachin was the leader in that. He stood up and said, ‘Some of the greatest achievements the Indian team has had and will have in the future are because we love playing for India and not for ourselves’,” Kirsten recalled.

Coaching and captaining the national cricket team are perhaps two of the toughest jobs in India. For a foreigner, the task is even more intimidating. But Kirsten, with his aversion to the limelight and passion for coaching, made it look easy.

“It helped having no reference points as a coach because I didn’t know what I was walking into,” said the 43-year-old. “I got behind the scenes where a coach belongs and I just tried to work as hard as I could, giving everything of myself to the individuals and to the team. And that was the space that I was at my happiest in. I’m not really happy in this situation talking to you guys but I felt it was my responsibility to say something before I left to go.

“As much as people say that it’s the toughest job in the world, it didn’t feel like that. I just did what I love doing – working with the players behind the scenes. You didn’t see me too much in the press conferences. I didn’t have to deal with all the questions you ask as to why we’re doing this and not that. MS [Dhoni] did that brilliantly and that made life easy for me,” Kirsten said, letting out his mantra of success.

By taking the team to the top of the cricketing world, India’s outgoing coach has thrown a tremendous challenge to his successor. The next coach now has the daunting task of living up to the lofty standards set by his predecessor. But Kirsten believes it is important for the man who replaces him to do things his way and set his own standards.

“It is going to be tough for the new coach in terms of the standards that have been set by the team. But I see no reason why this team shouldn’t continue to succeed,” Kirsten opined.

He added, “The important thing for the new coach is to bring his freshness of ideas to the table but in a way that the Indian players will respond. I would sit with him and give him a set of ideas on the way we set things up over the last three years but I certainly wouldn’t want the new guy to come and emulate the things we did. He might be a different person with different ideas.”

Kirsten refused to believe that it would be tough for anyone to fill in his boots and that the team will feel his absence. “I’m sure that the right person will be selected who will allow this team to continue its success. What India need now is consistency to remain at the top of world cricket. And the foundation is well set," said the parting coach.