‘One Highlight In My Three…’ Why Gary Kirsten Rated Mohali Test Over 2011 World Cup Victory? News24 –
Former Indian cricket team coach Gary Kirsten, the man who masterminded India’s 2011 World Cup triumph with MS Dhoni’s leadership, has revealed that his most cherished memory from his tenure wasn’t lifting the trophy. In an exclusive chat with News24, the former Proteas legend took a nostalgic detour to share a lesser-known but deeply special moment from his stint as India’s coach between 2008 and 2011.
Surprisingly, Kirsten rated the partnership between VVS Laxman and Ishant Sharma in the 2010 Mohali Test (during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy) higher than India’s triumphant 2011 World Cup victory. When asked about his most memorable moment with the Indian team, he said:
“One highlight in my three years with the Indian team was getting Ishant Sharma to come down to the nets with his batting pads and then to get him to face 48 balls in the Test match against Australia with VVS Laxman to win the game. That was a highlight for me to work on his batting,” Kirsten said.
“I really enjoyed that from a leadership perspective because he didn’t think he could bat. And he still can’t bat that well, but we kind of helped him get through that Test match and do really well,” Kirsten added.
He also praised Gautam Gambhir for his coaching capabilities, noting India’s efforts in drawing the recently concluded Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2–2. Kirsten had coached Gambhir during his impactful 97-run knock in the 2011 ODI World Cup final. He remarked:
“I’m really happy for the Indian cricket team for levelling the series and it’s great for Indian cricket. I’m really pleased for Gautam Gambhir as well, I know him well. Really delighted and pleased for what he’s achieved with the team,” Kirsten said.
“They’re doing really well at the moment. We all get excited by the success of the Indian team, I certainly do. They’ve got a great bunch of young players coming through now and it’s really exciting to be supporting them,” he added.
What Happened During the Mohali Test
In the first Test of the 2010–11 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, held in Mohali from October 1–5, 2010, India pulled off a dramatic one-wicket victory over Australia. Australia posted 428 in their first innings and 192 in the second, while India replied with 405 in the first innings and then chased down 216 in the fourth, finishing on 216/9 to win by the narrowest of margins.
Chasing 216, India was in deep trouble at 124/8 when VVS Laxman and Ishant Sharma came together. Laxman, battling a severe back injury, scored an unbeaten 73 off 79 balls, while Ishant showed remarkable grit with 31 off 92 deliveries. Their 81-run ninth-wicket partnership completely changed the complexion of the match. Laxman’s injury was so severe that he had Suresh Raina running for him, yet he continued to pierce the gaps and rotate the strike brilliantly.
The tension escalated after Ishant’s dismissal, leaving India with just one wicket in hand. The final 3.2 overs became a virtual one-ball game as tail-ender Pragyan Ojha, with Laxman guiding from the other end, edged India across the finish line. The victory equaled India’s narrowest-ever win in Test cricket by wickets and remains one of the most celebrated comebacks in Indian cricket history.
