'One thing I learned from Bob Woolmer is that...' - Gary Kirsten bluntly opens up on potential challenges as Pakistan Head Coach in coming months

The former India head coach recently got appointed as the new head coach of Pakistan’s Senior Men’s Cricket Team in the white-ball cricket. Kirsten is yet to join the Pakistan camp for his responsibilities as the new white-ball coach of their national side. Earlier, Kirsten had enjoyed an amazing success with India, guiding them to win the ODI World Cup 2011, alongside the team becoming the number 1 in Test Cricket.

Meanwhile, the former stylish South Africa batter also spoke about the potential challenges in coaching a team like Pakistan which has a fan base with huge expectations. Kirsten also cited former Pakistan head coach Bob Woolmer as an inspiration for him.

However, Woolmer didn’t have a happy ending to his tenure as coach of the Pakistan Cricket Team; he died in a ‘suspicious death’ after the terrifying defeat of Pakistan against Ireland in the ICC ODI World Cup 2007. Besides this, the former England star enjoyed an amazing coaching career for various teams.

“You get a little bit more thick-skinned” – Gary Kirsten about drawing inspiration from Bob Woolmer

Coming back to Kirsten, he spoke in length about his upcoming assignments as head coach of the Pakistan Cricket Team in the white-ball cricket.

“Everyone always talks about watching some of these players play on any given day and getting mesmerised by their abilities. But in the short time I've had in connection remotely with the team, one can pick up very quickly what the potential blockages are. And I guess it's my role as a coach, to assist in unlocking the natural ability that they have,” said Kirsten during a conversation with former England pacer Steve Harmison and broadcaster Neil Manthop on talkSPORT.

“I've been around the coaching circuit enough to know that, pretty much any team environment that's not winning, you will get factions. The fact is, it could be highlighted even more in certain cultures and environments. The one thing about being a coach of over 20 years now is that you get a little bit more thick-skinned. And that's the one thing I did learn from Bob [Woolmer], by the way,” he added later.