The Rediff Interview / Anshuman Gaekwad

'Why should I be an assistant to anybody?'

Anshuman Gaekwad, Test opener, national selector and now coach of the Indian cricket team for a second time, rides his luck much the same way India's most successful captain Mohammad Azharuddin did.

Soon after Kapil Dev stepped down, the BCCI asked him to fill the void. He willingly accepted the post, saying he is doing it for the sake of Indian cricket.

Gaekwad might not rank among the greatest thinkers of the game, nor is man-management his forte, yet his luck somehow manages to rub-off on the team's fortunes. Why, some of the players even feel that his second stint as coach is much better than the first.

Just before setting off for Sharjah, on what will positively be his last tour as coach of the India team, Gaekwad spoke to Faisal Shariff about his assignment and shared his impressions of the current squad, which he feels is probably one of the finest in recent times.

What do you think this result of India getting to the final of the ICC Knockout trophy has done for Indian cricket?

Basically, it is not only the final we are taking about. I think the way we played cricket all through the tournament was wonderful. The boys did so well. Only thing, a bit of disappointment was that we should have gone though to win the final. But you know, playing such cricket, I am sure this is the kind of cricket people in India want to watch. I am sure it will pick up. I have already got a lot of calls and people are feeling proud of the way we played. They said you are reviving cricket in India, which in itself is a good sign.

So was it a surprise that India beat Australia and South Africa back to back after almost five years?

See, we always had a good team, but in one-day cricket, as one says, any team that plays better on the given day wins. And I think our team played very well. It was not like touch and go, or you can call it fluke. We beat Australia and South Africa, both convincingly.

If you had to put your finger on one thing that changed the way India played their cricket, what would it be?

Fielding.

Was it the inclusion of youngsters that made a difference as well?

Not necessarily. I mean if you talk about Yuvraj Singh ... he fielded very well, took some brilliant catches; so did Robin Singh. So it was not only youngsters; it was a joint team effort.

Do you think the inclusion of Yuvraj, Zaheer and Dahiya has made an impact or is it the unit that has clicked together?

No, I think it is teamwork. You can't really pin-point one player for sure. It has to be teamwork. Cricket isn't a one-man sport; there has to be teamwork, a joint effort.

What was the reason that you accepted the role of coach once again, knowing that you would be playing a makeshift role?

The reason is that I had a specific request from the board president and some of the senior members of the board -- that I should accept this for just two tours, that is Kenya and Sharjah. There are other reasons which I cannot disclose to you, but keeping Indian cricket in mind, I accepted it.

Are you feeling bad about the fact that it is just for two tours, and you will miss this whole thing again -- of being with the team, winning together?

See, to be very frank, nobody likes to leave a winning team, but the fact remains that I am very clear with my idea and that I have accepted only two tours. So a question of anything else doesn't arise.

Do you think now that the team is doing so well it actually makes no sense to get in someone else?

I think the BCCI or the people who make the judgements are the best people to ask.

Sometime ago when you gave a report to the board, it leaked out. Were you uncertain or uncomfortable when you were in the dressing room again?

No, not at all. In fact, I have not criticized anyone. I had written a very general report and whatever I wrote I stand by it. There are no problems with the boys and if there were problems with the boys I don't know how we would have done. Even after the reports we won at Toronto; we went to Kenya, played there and almost won. And now again. The only thing I didn't like was that the reports which were supposed to be confidential were leaked.

So, what do you think Indian cricket needs from now onwards? You have been the coach; you have seen the team, the youngsters?

Basically, I think we just need to get everything together and the way we have done in this tournament. We just have to carry on thereafter.

Is there any specific area or field you feel we need to work hard on?

The most important of all is the fielding aspect, which I think we did very well in Kenya, and we need to carry on in the same vein.

If you are offered the post of assistant coach will you accept it?

I don't know because the fact remains that I have already done two years as a coach and now again I am doing it. My track record hasn't been bad either, so why should I be an assistant to anybody?

Or maybe, if it is something like the arrangement you had with Mr. Bobby Simpson in the World Cup?

To be very frank something has to come to me. There has been no offer as such and I haven't really thought about it.

How were you working with Bobby Simpson during the World Cup?

Well, he was basically a consultant who was supposed to watch the boys and give me suggestions about what he felt. And that was it.

And what do you think about the Sharjah tournament right now? How important do you think it is?

Kenya was a knockout tournament, where every match was a final. And now we are playing at Sharjah, where we have a lot of league matches. Winning is so important now for Indian cricket to get back those people who have been disheartened.

We have 23 probables for the Indian team. Don't you think it would have been a good opportunity to try them out against a weaker side like Zimbabwe?

No, we already have a few youngsters and you cannot straightaway have 9 to 10 youngsters in a side.

Maybe we could have tried out wicketkeepers?

Who else? Dahiya has just come in and how many more are you going to try, and how soon? Somebody who you picked yesterday cannot be dropped today. He has to be given a chance. And anyway it is not my cup of tea. It has to be the selectors.

But don't you think that some of the senior players could have been rested and we could have guys like Kaif and some other players could be tried out? Hemang Badani and Sriram haven't got an opportunity yet?

Badani and Sriram are already in the 14 and there is no question. But if you are talking about Kaif or Martin or anybody else you are not only looking at grooming the players or the side, but you are looking at winning also. So it has to be a good gel of seniors and juniors.

So what's your prediction ?

I think we played well in Kenya and I think we should win it. Unless we don't play well.

Photographs: Ajay Kandhani
Interviews

Mail Cricket Editor