Johannesburg: Gary Kirsten has officially accepted that he has accepted to be the next coach of the Indian cricket team. Accepting the BCCI’s offer, Former South African opener Gary Kirsten is now all set to hold the reins of the Indian cricket team, a year after Australian Greg Chappell had stepped down following the team's debacle in the World Cup in the West Indies.
 
Kirsten, 40, said that his two-year contract as coach will begin from March 1, 2008. He will start his assignment by joining the team as a consultant on its tour of Australia starting later this month.

Kirsten said, "I'll start from March 1 but in the meanwhile I will interact with the team and the cricket board as a consultant."

Having already conveyed the Indian cricket board that he will not be available as a coach for the tour of Australia, Kirsten however told he will travel to India to talk to the players before they embark on their tour of Australia.

The left hander Gary Kirsten told that he was "very, very happy" with the terms and conditions of his contract with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and honored to be the coach of "such a great cricket team."

Commenting on the reports on his concern over some senior Indian cricketers' reservations about having him as the coach, Kirsten said, “I’ve no concerns about what the cricketers think of my appointment.”

The BCCI also has officially publicized the appointment of Gary Kirsten. BCCI spokesperson yesterday (Tuesday) told that the confusion between the board and Kirsten was sorted out. “It’s just a matter of making it official; it will be made official on Wednesday,” he said.     

Meeting the BCCI special committee for appointing the coach last week, Kirsten had agreed to communicate his final decision by Monday. However, there were reports suggesting that some senior Indian players were unhappy about being kept in the dark about the choice of coach. Kirsten, apprehensive initially about this, has now made up his mind.