Kirsten expects no issues from duo

By Our Correspondent

New Delhi, May 15: India coach Gary Kirsten is hopeful that S. Sreesanth and Harbhajan Singh will put the recent "slap-gate" incident behind them when they line up for the country and felt he and his coaching staff have enough experience to keep things in check.

"The idea that it will be a problem having the two of them together in the squad is crazy. I would like to think me and Paddy (Upton) have enough management experience to cope with anything like that, if it ever did become a problem," Kirsten told a cricket website.

Harbhajan Singh, leading the Mumbai Indians, slapped Sreesanth after an IPL match last month, allegedly after being provoked by the Kings XI Punjab pacer. he was banned for the next 11 matches and was handed a further five-match ODI ban by the cricket control board on Wednesday.

Kirsten said both Sreesanth and Harbhajan were very passionate, and therefore volatile. "They are both very passionate cricketers who, ironically, are as similar off the field as on it. On the friendly side of the boundary rope," he said. "But when they cross the line, literally, they become very passionate and their blood boils quickly in the heat of battle."

He was also sure that the duo would mend their ways. "They have both made mistakes and they know that. Harbhajan has paid an enormous price for his latest indiscretion and I honestly have no doubt that he has learnt his lesson," he said.

Kirsten said he was in touch with Harbhajan, who he said was deeply apologetic over his actions.

"I had a long telephone chat to him recently and he knows he made a big mistake. I think he wanted to know where he stood with me and I was able to reassure him that I wanted him in my team. He’s a passionate cricketer and I want passion in the team.

"India need passion to win. Of course, it has to be controlled and ill-discipline is not acceptable. There is a difference between sporting aggression and plain loss of temper, and he knows that," Kirsten said.