Predicting some problems for his former team mate Gary Kirsten, who

is now India’s coach, former South African captain Kepler Wessels has

said that the Indian side needed some serious changes.

“I think (Kirsten) is in a difficult position, because he is saddled with

an old team that plays like a bunch of old men,” Wessels, who is the

coach of Indian Premier League (IPL) team Chennai Super Kings, told

Afrikaans daily Beeld .

“There will definitely have to be changes made to get them on the

wining path again, but it will probably not be a popular decision all

round.”

“Kirsten’s problem is that he cannot simply effect changes. There are so

many big names, who do just what they want to. They also have habits,

which cannot be changed overnight.

“Because he is so new in the position, (Kirsten) also does not know

what he can insist on. He feels he cannot change things left and right,

(creating) a difficult transition,” Wessels added.

Commenting on India’s chances of at least drawing the ongoing Test

series in Kanpur starting Friday, Wessels said they would have to get a

pitch prepared where the ball would turn sharply on the first day.

South Africa in India 2008

He also said that South Africa could beat England and Australia in

forthcoming series.

Until recently the most outspoken critic of captain Graeme Smith and

his leadership, Wessels is now full of praise for him.

“The current team is the best I have seen in the Graeme Smith era and if

they can play like (they have against India) they can beat England and

they can certainly beat Australia”, said Wessels, who also played in 24

Tests and 54 one-day internationals for Australia between 1982 and

1983.

Wessels regarded India’s defeat by an innings and 90 runs in

Ahmedabad last week as the best South African victory since Smith

took over the captaincy, but was quick to add that it was not South

Africa’s best triumph ever in world cricket.

“I have never seen South Africa play so well under Smith’s leadership.

If (the South African squad) delivers the same level of paying that they

did at Ahmedabad, I can see no reason why they could not beat the

Aussies in their own backyard (when they tour there) at the end of the

year,” Wessels said.