The Rediff Interview / Brijesh Patel

'We do not believe in chopping and changing'

His office at the Karnataka State Cricket Association in Bangalore is full of bouquets and cards. Behind his desk stands a row of autographed bats, from batsmen who played landmark innings in Bangalore over the years.

"So this is your hot seat!" jokes former India player Sunil Joshi, walking in and shaking Brijesh Patel's hand.

The former Test batsman, who has held several other positions with the Indian cricket team including that of team manager over the years, was recently named chairman of selectors of the Board of Control for Cricket in India. Having had a raw deal when he was a member of the Indian team over two decades ago, Patel is expected to be a popular and fair head selector.

In an exclusive interview with M D Riti, he shares his plans for the Indian team.

Your present role is likely to get very stressful. How do you propose to handle the stress?

Ultimately, only 11 players can play for India, and there are bound to be people who feel they were unfairly left out. I would like to take up this challenge and do an honest job.

What are your plans for the team, now that you have become chief selector?

The team is well in place now for the one-dayers and longer tournaments, except for one or two spots which we could look at for fringe or senior players. I think the team is otherwise settled. We do not believe in chopping and changing.

You have always placed a lot emphasis on physical fitness. Will you treat this issue of fitness as a major selection criterion?

The BCCI now considers fitness very important. We have a trainer who has come in from South Africa right now. You have seen the fitness of our players. You have seen how they are able to perform even in these conditions, and run well even in the fiftieth over. That way, fitness has really improved and it's showing in the performance of the players. Also, we are monitoring all the players' fitness, both the fringe players and the established players. We are telling them that this is your fitness now. In three months we will see if you have improved. At the state level also we are doing that.

The whole culture takes some time to catch on. It will slowly filter down to the junior players too. You can see the improvement this has made in fielding too. The young players, like Yuvraj Singh and Mohammed Kaif, are much quicker.

Do you think the BCCI-ICC-cricketers' controversy over sponsorship will resolve itself?

I think there will soon be a solution. This is a problem unique to India, that players are involved in advertising. I think there will be a give and take policy for the ICC, the BBCI and the players. I think the issue will soon be resolved.

Who, in your opinion, will compromise? The ICC or the players?

Everyone will have to compromise. The ICC will need to talk to its sponsors, reduce those conditions like those about one month before and one month after the matches. The players too will have to talk to their sponsors and prepare them mentally that certain periods are for the ICC.

Has money begun to dominate cricket far more than when you were playing?

Money is important. A cricketer's career is short. Anything can happen. You may be at the top, and then get injured, and not play again for India. The risks are high. You are dedicating your career to cricket. You have a span for 10-15 years. I don't blame cricketers for wanting to make the most of that time.

Do you think your own potential was realised fully by selectors in your time?

I enjoyed my cricket. I don't want to go back into all those things. I enjoyed whatever cricket I played for my country and my state.

Do you plan to introduce any new dimensions to the selection process, given your own vast experience in cricket, starting from your playing days to your days as a team manager?

We would like to give players with potential a long chance, instead of just giving them one or two games, and then packing him off.

Some older cricketers feel that young players are being put into international matches far too soon: do you agree?

Most players have played reasonable cricket before getting into the international team, except perhaps Parthiv Patel, who just came in. But there are outstanding boys who have hardly played a Ranji match and then played for India.

What do you advise young players aspiring for the Indian team to groom themselves in, if they want to be selected?

Dedication, hard work. They must set themselves goals for three months, six months, and set out to achieve them. They must be mentally and physically tough, because they play a lot more cricket than we ever did, and under a lot of pressure too. They play so many one-day internationals, 15 Tests in a year. The expectations from the public are high too. They need to be able to handle all that.

Do you find players easy to handle and get along with?

Yes, its easy for me because I know them well. I have been with these boys as manager; I have even played with some of them. They find it easy to interact with me. My days with the national cricket academy has helped me to see more of the fringe players; how they perform, how they behave, their physical fitness. I am able to get an insight into all this.

Any particular fringe players you have identified who will soon make it to the eleven?

There are a few who should be encouraged, but I would not like to name them just now.

Do you notice suddenly a fresh crop of good, young players on our horizon, after a hiatus?

Yes, because of several particular events that have occurred over the past year: we have started the zonal and national academies. Also junior A tours have been conducted: the under 17s, the under 19s. The Indian A team went to South Africa, Sri Lanka. We are able to make out who's good at an the international level. This makes the selectors' job easy, instead of our just having to go by domestic performances.

Have these guys done well in South Africa?

If you see, it was Parthiv Patel, Yuvraj and Mohammed Kaif, and they got selected. The board has done a good job by organising these tours, they should have even more of them.

Will you look for players with a killer instinct? Do you think this is what distinguishes a good player from an outstanding one?

The killer instinct is not the most important thing, in my opinion; performance is. At the end of the day, you need to be able to perform well, get lots of runs or wickets, whichever is the case.

Interviews

Mail Cricket Editor