Familiar foes for Kirsten

The last time the two teams played a one-day international, during the 2011 World Cup, Kirsten was on the other side as India’s coach, plotting their eventual title triumph on home soil.

Former South African opener Kirsten left India after the World Cup to take up the job with his home country, leading Graeme Smith’s side to the top of the world rankings in Test cricket.

The final edition of the Champions Trophy will be the popular 45-year-old’s last assignment with South Africa, before he makes away for his deputy Russell Domingo in order to devote time to his family.

South Africa’s one-day captain, AB de Villiers, hoped his side, often ridiculed as chokers for their failure to win major titles, will give the coach a fitting farewell by winning the eight-nation tournament.

“It would be nice to give him a good farewell,” said de Villiers. “He’s been a great coach to us. We’ve learnt a lot from him in the few years that he’s been with us.

“He’s more like a mentor on the team. I find it funny calling him coach because no one calls him coach. He’s almost like one of our friends and a mentor kind of guy.”

Kirsten will be up against an almost new-look Indian squad with just three players — skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina — having played in the World Cup final against Sri Lanka in Mumbai two years ago.

India go into the tournament as the top-ranked one-day side, but have lost five of their last seven internationals against South Africa, including a three-wicket defeat in the World Cup in Nagpur.

The Proteas are often regarded as the best side never to have won cricket’s showpiece, the 50-over World Cup, or the World Twenty20, and de Villiers was desperate to set the record straight.

“We represent a very proud cricketing nation, and we’d like to make them proud in this tournament.”
But South Africa’s prospects of making a winning start could be hampered if star fast bowler Dale Steyn is ruled out with the side strain that meant he only bowled five overs in a warm-up match against Pakistan. — AFP.