The Rediff Interview / John Wright

'The youngsters did what the seniors failed to do'

On Saturday, July 13, India pulled off a sensational victory over England at Lord's to win the NatWest Tri-Series, which also involved Sri Lanka. Youngsters Mohammad Kaif and Yuvraj Singh played the key role as Sourav Ganguly's team broke a jinx of nine consecutive defeats in the final.

India coach John Wright spoke to Faisal Shariff about the triumph, and also revealed his plans for the Test series against the Englishmen.

What does the victory mean to you, personally?

Personally, I look for improvement. Everyone loves winning and enjoys it. I am especially happy for the boys, who enjoy it. But we have to finish with the celebrations and focus on the job at hand for the rest of the tour.

There will have to be improvement in performance. Complacency has always been a big threat. I am very happy with our bowling and fielding in the one-dayers.

What was the highlight of the NatWest series win?

I have always underlined the need to be a consistent side. We have performed well sometimes and faltered at other times. During this series crucial partnerships saw us through most of the games. We did it against England in the opening game, and then repeated it against Sri Lanka, twice. I was proud of the side's overall fielding. Even Anil Kumble has improved his fielding. Bringing in Dinesh Mongia, Yuvraj Singh and Mohammad Kaif changed the way opposing batsmen ran their singles against us.

What moves have helped the team's cause most? Do you think that these are long-term arrangements?

The move to have seven specialist batsmen in the side has helped. On most occasions during the series, the seventh batsman has helped us win. The strategy to ask Rahul Dravid to don the wicket-keeping gloves has helped.

Do you seriously think that this is a long-term move... to stack the team with batsmen and chase any total?

No, it is not the case. The side must have four top bowlers. We can't have bits and pieces players. We need players of quality; even if we find an all-rounder tomorrow he should be a quality all-rounder. A couple of keepers in England have said that with a few technical arrangements Dravid could be on his way to becoming a more complete keeper till the World Cup next year.

So the young Indian team formula has worked?

Youngsters have made all the difference. The youngsters did what the seniors failed to do. It was a big thing for the youngsters. Yuvraj and Kaif haven’t played too many finals and yet the calm that they showed was unbelievable. It is an encouraging sign for India.

The feel of youth has no fear. There is a freedom that makes them believe that there is nothing that cannot be achieved. The guys used their brains, and the way they went about chasing the total was delightful. I believe that Dinesh Mongia has a great future ahead of him. The BCCI deserves a pat on their backs for our success.

Dalmiya's decision to restart the 'A' tours needs to be applauded. It is to his credit that Kaif and Yuvraj went to South Africa on the 'A' tour and performed creditably. The tour helped them enormously and the fact that the youngsters are training with the team augurs well for the team spirit. Adrian le Roux and [Andrew] Leipus have done a great job with the boys.

What will be the key to winning the Test series in England?

We need to keep our form going. The key will be the opening partnership. The batsmen will have to get big runs. We need more runs from the tail. Specialized fielders for specific fielding positions and stopping the singles will be of utmost importance. We will miss Yuvraj, Kaif and Mongia in the Tests. Obviously, we will need to bowl well as a unit. Srinath will be missed, but it is a great opportunity for the young seamers to perform.

We need to build a squad of fast bowlers, and even though employing a bowling coach is some way off, I'm sure the board president will do whatever is good for the team.

Can you explain the gutsy decision to ask Virender Sehwag to open the innings in Tests?

We have decided to be very positive over here. If Sehwag can find the position to his liking, he will terrorise the English bowlers into submission. Sehwag has all that it takes to open in Tests; it is a matter of whether he wants to do it or not. We always have S S Das, who is going through a bad patch... who is a class opening bat. He has worked hard on his flaws and I am sure he will fight for his place.

Do you think that the seniors have been pushed out of their comfort zones with the performances of the youngsters?

Personally, I like to see all players come under the same league. It is important to set a new tone. Fielding is of utmost importance. If you can’t field, you can’t come into the side. Players will be given a chance; if they take it, great; if they don’t, then there is great competition to replace them. That makes my life easy.

Competition from below is always great. If the seat is hot then people get up and get going.

Interviews

Mail Cricket Editor