Former India men's head coach Gary Kirsten says the team's 'superstar' culture has shifted significantly over the last decade and a half.
Kirsten coached India for three years, his spell resulting in the 2011 World Cup title; India's first in 28 years. Since then, he has led South Africa and Pakistan in international cricket, as well as earning several franchise-level coaching roles including one with the Gujarat Titans in the IPL. Next month, he will take over as head coach of the Sri Lankan men's team.
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Having started his India tenure in 2008, Kirsten saw the start of the IPL at close quarters, and the effect of the franchise boom on the national team's players.
After a dominant Indian win in the 2026 T20 World Cup final, head coach Gautam Gambhir reiterated that his team was focused on "trophies, not milestones". Gambhir has also spoken multiple times about the need to do away with "superstar culture".
Read more: Mark Butcher: India became stronger when they stopped relying on individual superstars
Kirsten: You could literally pick three Indian teams
"I think it's [superstar culture] changed significantly in India over the last 15-odd years and I think he [Gambhir] is absolutely spot on," Kirsten said on Wisden Cricket's The Scoop on YouTube.
"I think that India was driven largely around that superstardom status of each individual and there was there was a massive commercial entity to that as well.
"But I think IPL has kind of definitely brought on a different dynamic there and I couldn't agree with you more. There are just so many good Indian players around now. I mean, you could literally pick three teams. When I was with the Namibians [as a consultant for the T20 World Cup] we were down at the Center of Excellence in Bangalore and it's the most impressive cricket facility I've ever seen anywhere.
"It's absolutely magnificent, and we played against an India A 'regional' team which had IPL players in it but we maybe got bowled out for 60 and there's just so much depth in the system in India now. So it makes complete sense that, you know, the whole game resting on one, two, three, four individuals is not necessary anymore."
Kirsten: Coaching is about understanding what that environment requires of you
"The game has evolved dramatically since I started [coaching] in 2008," Kirsten added, on the challenge for him on a personal front.
"Coaches need to be up to the task for that. They need to understand how to work with a modern cricketer. We spoke about your superstar Indian players. Well I had a lot of them when I started in 2008. Now you don't only have five of them. You've got 25 of them now.
"So it is a very different landscape and you need to evolve as a coach. I think the access to and the use of data is becoming more and more relevant. The domestic leagues have taught us that that you can find competitive advantage in that space.
"You need to evolve and for me working with different teams, it's more around understanding what that environment requires of you as a coach. I think that's really really important, rather than [saying] 'I'm going to stamp my philosophy and style on a team.'"
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