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Gary Kirsten
'I feel as fit as I've ever been'
December 10, 2003
With his mission of playing 100 Tests and scoring 20 Test centuries, Gary Kirsten sounds like a crusader. And now, talking exclusively to Wisden Cricinfo, he tells Nagraj Gollapudi about the building blocks of his tenacious batting, the art of facing pace bowling, and when he thinks he will be ready to retire:
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`You can't rely purely on talent'
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As you're getting older, your performances have got even better. How do you explain that?
The older you get the more experienced you become, and you are better equipped mentally to deal with certain situations on the field. Test-match experience doesn't come after 30 matches, it comes after 60 or 70, and as a batsman, you probably only reach your full potential somewhere in your thirties.
Guts, patience and resolve have been the hallmarks of your batting. How do you develop those instincts?
To be a successful Test batsman, you can't rely purely on talent - of which I have very little. A special mental quality to deal with the onand off-field pressures is required, as well as a burning determination to succeed under any conditions. Although Sachin Tendulkar has heaps of talent, he also is seriously motivated to succeed. I once heard him say he wants to score runs every time he walks to the crease. I think any batsman would say that, but there are only a few who really believe it. Steve Waugh and Rahul Dravid have certainly been great examples of super-determined cricketers who stick to their game-plans and are extremely difficult to get out.
In the recent series in Pakistan, you came back after an horrific blow to your face and scored another patient and uncomplicated century. How difficult was it to concentrate?
Not difficult at all - I always enjoy batting in Pakistan, and I was really determined to get a hundred before I left there. The injury to my face, although a little unusual, goes with the job.
Do you think about batting off the field?
I try and get away from the game mentally when I can. I only focus on batting when I need to.
How difficult is it for your body to cope with the heavy schedule these days?
I'm only playing Test cricket, which makes a big difference. I think there is too much one-day cricket. As a batsman playing just Tests, I feel as fit as I've ever been.
Bowlers have different strategies against you. Do you also have particular methods against them?
I think there are certain bowlers in a team you feel you can dominate. To exploit that, and to be cautious against the bowlers who might pose a threat, will lead to success more times than not.
Can you explain the difference between batting against extremely quick bowlers - like Shoaib Akhtar and Brett Lee - and the persistent ones, like Glenn McGrath and Shaun Pollock?
Sheer pace is a real thrill and an adrenalin rush. It's either the stumps flying out of the ground or the ball being hit hard to the boundary - or the batsmen spending a lot of time ducking. Whatever it is, it's going to happen quickly. Against the McGrath and Pollock type of bowling, it becomes a battle of the mind, like a game of chess. Is the batsman going to play the bad shot first, or is the bowler going to bowl the bad ball first? Either way it makes up the fabric of this very intriguing game we play.
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Kirsten celebrates another Test hundred
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You have talked about dropping down the order if there is an opportunity. Is that for personal reasons or for the team's sake?
I think a bit of both - I believe I can make a big contribution in the middle order and with Graeme Smith taking over so successfully up front, it was quite timely I searched for another position.
The South African batting is still a bit shaky - you are the only one who brings any balance to it. Is there always pressure, and what should the youngsters do to strengthen the batting?
I think the top order has been pretty strong this year - Graeme Smith, Herschelle Gibbs and myself are all in the top ten runscorers for the year. I think due to a lack of confidence and experience, the middle order has not performed like the team would have liked. Hopefully that will change as talented players like Neil McKenzie, Boeta Dippenaar, Jacques Rudolph and Martin van Jaarsveld stake their claim.
Your coach Eric Simons believes South Africa are the second-best side in the world. Do you agree?
I think Australia are a long way ahead, and we are in the chasing pack with a few other teams.
We have been hearing about your retirement for the last three years. Does it ever disturb your mindset?
South African cricket has gone through some turbulent periods over the last few years - on and off the field. I have been around for all that period, and there have been times when I've asked myself whether I'm still enjoying playing. Since the World Cup, and under the new set-up, I've really enjoyed playing again - that for me is all-important and the only way you can succeed.
You have said that you will be retiring after the New Zealand tour next year. Are there any specific goals that that you want to accomplish during this period?
I think it's important for South African cricket that someone achieves milestones that young players can aspire to and set their goals on. Due to our political turmoil, which led to 20 years of isolation, the history and passion of playing for South Africa has been eroded. Past players play a crucial role in setting the standards for the future. I have a responsibility to that cause, so achieving 100 Tests and 20 centuries would definitely be goals of mine.
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