Gary Kirsten: Cricket Legend

Gary Kirsten is the former South African cricketer and ICC World Cup winning coach of the Indian cricket team, played 101 Test matches and 185 One Day Internationals for South Africa between 1993 and 2004, mainly as an opening batsman. He retired from international cricket in 2004 after making history by becoming the first-ever Protea to […]

Travel & Fee Range:**

  • Travels from: Johannesburg
  • **Fee range: 75,001 - 100k

Keynote Topics

  • My experience of playing sport at school
  • Meeting two of my mentors. Positive influences in my life.
  • Becoming a professional. The burden of expectation.
  • Becoming the Coach. What did I hear? What do they want to hear?
  • Becoming the parent. Looking through the eyes of my child, What do they hear?

Gary Kirsten is the former South African cricketer and ICC World Cup winning coach of the Indian cricket team, played 101 Test matches and 185 One Day Internationals for South Africa between 1993 and 2004, mainly as an opening batsman. He retired from international cricket in 2004 after making history by becoming the first-ever Protea to […]

Gary Kirsten is the former South African cricketer and ICC World Cup winning coach of the Indian cricket team, played 101 Test matches and 185 One Day Internationals for South Africa between 1993 and 2004, mainly as an opening batsman.

He retired from international cricket in 2004 after making history by becoming the first-ever Protea to play in 100 Test matches. He was also appointed as the coach of the South African cricket team in June 2011 and stepped down in August 2013.

After retirement, Kirsten established, Gary Kirsten Cricket, which is a global cricket business that provides coaching for individual cricketers, teams and coach education locally and Internationally.

He has a great passion for the development of sporting talent in South Africa and also Founded the Gary Kirsten Foundation which focuses on the creation of sporting ecosystems and healthy alternatives for township communities by providing quality infrastructure that is safe and accessible to people in the townships.

Gary Kirsten is known for his straightforward approach and has the knack of simplifying often complicated issues. His passion for excellence and accountability is infectious.

Gary offers the following to his audience:

  • Building a winning culture
  • Understanding team dynamic
  • Working with champions
  • Creating self-belief
  • Withstanding pressure in a crisis
  • Managing risk in a changing environment
  • How to win

A left-hander with a specialized batting technique, Gary Kirsten was known as one of the strongest pillars of the South African top-order. Gary is a former South African cricketer and the World Cup winning coach of the Indian Cricket team.

He played 101 Test matches and 185 One Day Internationals for South Africa between 1993 and 2004, mainly as an opening batsman. Gary’s game revolved around his basic strengths and weaknesses and his ability to adapt to different conditions.

Gary Kirsten | Cricket Sporting Legend

Gary debuted against Australia in Melbourne in 1993 and over the years, His ability to concentrate for longer periods saw him becoming the leading South African run-scorer and centurion in Tests.

His career-best knock of 275 came in 14 and half hours, the second-longest innings in terms of duration in the history of cricket, when South Africa followed on against England at Kingsmead in 1999-00.

Later, in 2003, he returned to England to haunt them and in the Headingly Test, scored a crucial 130 that helped South Africa win the Test by 191 runs.

After he retired from the game, he was the batting consultant of the Warriors for some time and in 2006, he set up his own Cricket Academy in Cape Town. In 2008, he was elected to coach the Indian cricket team and over the next two years, changed the fortunes of the team.

Gary’s personality was often reflected off-the-field when he mentored the Indian team. Under him, India did extremely well as they gradually scaled the No.1 rank in Test cricket, when the Indian team won the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup.

In skipper MS Dhoni’s words, Kirsten was “the best thing to happen to Indian cricket”. He was later named coach of the South African national team in 2011. His attention to detail and structured approach makes him an effective communicator.

His articulate and eloquent manner combined with an unmistakable presence endears him to all. Known for his straightforward approach, Gary has the knack of simplifying often complicated issues. His passion for excellence and accountability is infectious.

LEADERSHIP PHILOSOPHIES

It seems that we’ve forgotten that school is a place where you learn. It’s a place of preparation, not performance. Once you have learnt skills and gained confidence based on real competence, you are better prepared for the stress of performance and competition. As a proud father and sporting icon,

Gary also enjoys speaking to parents and educators about their approach to our children’s sport-life, and how it affects the children’s entire lives.

Gary Kirsten shares remarkable parts of his own story, and helps us to rethink and sharpen our involvement in school sports.

Known for his straightforward approach, Gary Kirsten has the knack of simplifying often complicated issues. His passion for excellence and accountability is infectious. He is a Professional Speaker, Sports Star

Contact us at Speakers Inc and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Speakers Contact

Speaker Enquiry Form

Talent Resources to download

In order to view the below you must be logged in.

  • Powerpoint Slide – For meeting and event planners
  • Gallery Images
  • High Resolution Images
  • PDF Files
  • Books and Magazine Links

View further speakers

Nicci Robertson is a renowned South African speaker and wellness consultant who has dedicated her career to helping organizations foster healthier, happier, and more productive work environments. Specializing in staff wellness, work-life balance strategies, executive wellness coaching, and stress management, Nicci has become a trusted advisor to companies seeking to enhance employee well-being and optimize […]

  • Wellness Expert
  • (7 reviews)

Embark on an extraordinary journey with Alex van den Heever and Renias Mhlongo as they unravel the profound lessons learned from 25 years of collaboration amidst the world’s most unforgiving terrains. Their keynote presentation, “The Power of Relationships,” is an unparalleled narrative that delves into the intricacies of human connections, mirrored against the backdrop of […]

  • Power of Relationships

Tim Cohen, a seasoned business editor and journalist, has profoundly shaped South Africa’s economic reporting landscape with his incisive analysis and commitment to truth. Before joining the highly respected Daily Maverick as Business Editor, Cohen served as the editor of Business Day, one of South Africa’s premier financial newspapers. His career began on the pages […]

  • GeoPolitical Analyst

Mimi Kalinda is a renowned global communications expert whose voice and vision have shaped narratives across Africa, Europe, and the United States for over 25 years. As a trailblazer in storytelling, reputation management, and public affairs, she brings a rare blend of cross-continental expertise and a deep understanding of cultural intelligence to every platform she […]

  • Communications Expert

Just 6 – Conference Band are an Afro-Pop/Soul, Jazz and Gospel Contemporary Acapella male ensemble from South Africa which was founded in 2011. A unique combination of voices that comes from a diverse walk of life, they have come together to birth to what they call ‘Afrocal-play’ (African Vocal Play), a distinct mixture of African […]

  • Afro Pop Band

Sthembiso Phakathi is a distinguished advisor and keynote speaker specializing in organizational transformation. With over two decades of expertise, he has successfully guided organizations through the complexities of business performance, strategic leadership, and transformative growth. Recognized for his ability to inspire and equip leaders with actionable strategies, Sthembiso’s insights resonate deeply in today’s dynamic corporate […]

  • Strategic Leadership

Amantle Mokubung marketing career spans over ten years and professionally trained through the AAA School of Advertising, IMM Graduate School, Digital Marketing Institute, and the Vega School of Brand Leadership. I share my expertise as a columnist for Your Business Magazine, a business coach at the Future Females Business School and through radio content contribution. My passion […]

  • Woman Empowerment

Jeannie D has experiences that have resulted in Jeannie being an ideal MC for local and international clients who are looking to add that “little bit extra” to their event. The famous Arabian tale goes something like this………Aladdin rubbed the lamp three times, out popped a ‘Genie’ and granted him three wishes. In today’s story, […]

  • Celebrity Emcee
Disclaimer
The profiles and images embedded on these pages are from various conference entertainers and other talent.

These remain the property of its owner and are not affiliated with or endorsed by Speakers Inc.

Fee ranges where listed on this website are intended to serve as a guideline only.

All talent fees exclude VAT, travel and accommodation where required.

Our Mission

We are your partner creating memorable and engaging experiences that go beyond the event itself.

Newsletter Signup

* indicates required

Intuit Mailchimp

Subscribe to our Newsletter and get connected:

Our Mission:

We are your partner creating memorable and engaging experiences that go beyond the event itself.

© All rights reserved 2025.  Designed using Voxel