Gary Kirsten hired by South Africa management as assistant director

As per the latest development, interim team director Enoch Nkwe will be assisted by World Cup-winning coach Gary Kirsten ahead of the Test series against England. Nkwe was appointed as the team director during the India tour after Cricket South Africa and former coach Ottis Gibson parted ways following the 2019 World Cup debacle. Nkwe previously worked as the coach of the domestic team Highveld Lions in the 2018-19 season.

As for Kirsten, little needs to be told of his accomplishments. He coached India to their World Cup triumph in 2011 after a wait of 28 years and also took South Africa to the top of the world Test rankings before putting down his papers in August 2013. The series against England begins on Boxing Day (December 26) at the Centurion. England will play four Tests, three T20Is and three ODIs on their two-month tour to South Africa.

Following allegations of misconduct, the CSA recently suspended their chief executive Thabang Moroe, after which three other board members resigned and the team also lost their main sponsor Standard Bank. Jacques Faul was appointed as an acting CEO  and former skipper Graeme Smith, will be appointed as the Director of cricket soon.

Chris Nenzani, CSA’s president, as per cricbuzz, said that Smith, after some persistence, has finally agreed to the role.  “We have engaged him and he has agreed that, by next week Wednesday, all the negotiations around the contract terms that need to take place will have been concluded.”

Smith has little administrative experience, but his career as a player and captain earned him a lot of respect and with his return in the administration, CSA’s recent stained reputation too will be easier to erase.

“It was very honest in terms of addressing the issues. But at the end of the day, or at the end of the night, or in the morning, the members council supported and endorsed the board to continue in its role and move forward in its efforts to turn the organisation around, the CSA president added.

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