South Africa coach Micky Arthur is leaving no stone unturned in his ambitious bid to humble Australia and has turned to India coach Gary Kirsten to find out what it takes to tame the World champions.
Arthur's meticulous plan for the away series included roping in former England coach Duncan Fletcher in a consultancy role before seeking Kirsten's help.
Under Fletcher, England beat the Aussies to win the 2005 Ashes, while Kirsten guided India to a thumping 2-0 win over Ricky Ponting's men recently.
"I have had a chat with Gary... and he reinforced that our ideas were right," Arthur told Sydney Morning Herald.
"And Fletch, after just his first six days with us, has already convinced me that we made a very good decision in bringing him into the group. We have been looking to speak to anyone who has enjoyed success over the Australians, and Fletch has provided us with some very interesting ideas," he said.
Incidentally, Arthur almost roped in John Buchanan in an advisory role before the former Australia coach joined Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League.
"...it struck me as a good idea. Unfortunately, it wasn't to be with John, but it led us to Fletch, and we couldn't be happier with that. He's one of the few guys around to have beaten Australia in a Test series, and his knowledge and insights will prove extremely useful over the next few weeks," Arthur said.
