It was bizarre: Gary Kirsten recalls seven-minute interview that landed him India’s coaching job

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He was never interested in coaching neither did he apply for the job, but it took exactly seven minutes for Gary Kirsten to land the high-profile India coach’s job back in 2007, a process set in motion by former Indian batting great Sunil Gavaskar.

Speaking on the Cricket Collective podcast, Kirsten recalled the bizarre series of events that unfolded in 2007.

Kirsten said he went for interview on the invitation of Gavaskar, who was part of the coach selection panel, and ended up with the job after being offered his predecessor Greg Chappell’s contract.

“I got an email from Sunil Gavaskar – would I consider coaching the Indian team,” Kirsten said.

“I thought it was a hoax. I never even answer it. He sent me another email, and said, ‘Will you come for an interview?’. I showed it to the wife, and she said, ‘They must have the wrong person’.

“So it was a bizarre entry into the whole thing, and rightly so. I mean, I had no coaching experience or anything,” he said.

Kirsten said when he landed in India for the interview, a chance meeting with the then captain Anil Kumble had them both laughing at the prospect of him being in contention for the position.

“I went for the interview, it was a bizarre experience…

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