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The Rediff Interview /Nayan Mongia

'Cricket is a big boys' game!'

January 18, 1994 saw Nayan Ramlal Mongia make his bow in Test cricket. Five years down the line, as he prepares to play his part, as the side's sole wicket-keeper, on the tour of New Zealand, international cricket, Nayan Mongia is a man secure in his own skin.

Security of tenure as first choice keeper for Tests means, effectively, that Mongia is acknowledged the best glove-man in the country at present. His record would appear to back up that assessment -in 34 Tests, Mongia has 82 victims to add to his 1236 runs (one century, 5 fifties) at a healthy average, given that he keeps getting shuffled around in the batting order, of 27.46.

When it comes to one day cricket, again, he has been the most effective gloveman in recent times. However, a perception that he is not a rapid scorer has led, in recent times, to his losing the ODI place to first Saba Karim, and more lately MSK Prasad. His ODI record, though, merits mention -- 118 games played, 129 victimes plus 1080 runs, with a top score of 69 and an average of 19.28.

A consistent performer, he has weathered the ups and downs in his career, and come back fighting each time. Mongia spoke exclusively to Haresh Pandya, from his residence in Vadodara on the eve of his trip to Mumbai to take part in the five-day camp prior to the start of the New Zealand tour. Excerpts:

Five years in international cricket under your belt, Nayan, how do you assess your career thus far?

On the whole, I am satisfied with what I have achieved, with my limited talent. I've always played for the team, never said no to anything that has been required of me -- whether it is stepping in as stop gap opener, or playing pinch hitter, whatever. Cricket for me is a team sport, you play for your team and not for personal glory, for individual achievements. And that means sacrificing self interest for the interest of the team, if needed.

In retrospect, I think I should have done even better. I could have done more, especially with the bat. But never mind, I think I still have some very good years ahead of me.

Do you feel secure, sure of your place in the national team at this point?

It is always a mistake to take your place for granted. But having said that, I think at this point in time, I am more comfortable, more sure of my place than at any other time in my career.

Where does this comfort, this security, come from?

From being able to perform consistently well, and from the knowledge that the selectors now have confidence in you. I've tried, always, to live up to the expectations of my captain, coach, manager, team-mates and the selectors. It is a good feeling when you are regarded as one of the key players in the side -- but on the other hand, when you fail it feels even worse, because you know your mates were relying on you and you have let them down.

This has been a great year for you hasn't it?

Yes, most certainly -- both personally, and for the team. India have done consistently well this year, we won a major Test series against Australia and also won several prestigious ODI tournaments, beating some of the top teams in the world. And personally speaking, I enjoyed my work behind the stumps in the Test series against Australia -- the Indian spinners were dominating, the pitches were taking turn, it was not easy to stand up, so being able to do good work in those conditions was personally satisfying.

Also, Ian Healy paid me a compliment about my keeping, and that made me very happy because he is one of the best in the world today, a senior player. So his good words made me feel encouraged, it is the sort of recognition that stimulates you, makes you strive even harder.

But in the middle of such a good year, the team also lost to Zimbabwe in Harare, in the one off Test...

I think it was simply a case of Zimbabwe bowling very well, and India batting badly, just when it mattered the most. We should give full credit to the Zimbabwean bowlers, who defended a modest target superbly. Victory and defeat are part of the game, the defeat in Harare was just one of those things. Even the best of teams sometimes have that happen to them, shock defeats, sudden collapses... It does hurt, however, to have lost that Test, any loss hurts.

How do you rate our chances against the Kiwis in the upcoming series?

I think we have a very good opportunity to win a Test series in New Zealand after 30-odd years. True, the Kiwis have a good side but it is certainly not as strong as the one led by Geoff Howarth and Jeremy Coney in the 1980s, when Richard Hadlee was around. I think today, we have the batting and the bowling to win. You cant underestimate the Kiwis, they too have some brilliant players, it should be an exciting Test series.

Why does India tend to do well at home, and then come a cropper abroad?

I don't think it is quite that simple, we too have had our good moments abroad, there have been times recently when we outplayed the opposition and failed to win because of the weather, factors like that which we couldn't control. Or take the West Indies tour last year, we were the better side right through, we batted badly in just one innings, in Barbados, and that was enough to lose us the Test and the series. But that is cricket -- sometimes, the results don't tell the full story.

How hard is it to be a keeper with big responsibilities with the bat as well?

It is certainly not easy, the pressure is enormous. As a keeper you have to concentrate a lot, you have to watch each and every ball, watch the batsman at the crease, look for the weak spots, for flaws in technique that you can pass on to the bowlers, to your captain. A fielder can relax, once in a while, but never a 'keeper, it is a very demanding job.

And it becomes doubly difficult when you have to go in at the top of the batting order, immediately after the rival innings has just got over. You are mentally tired from all that concentration, while the rival fast bowlers are steaming in fully charged up -- to do well calls for immense mental strength, toughness.

Will you like to open the innings again, given how hard you tell me the job is?

Frankly, I prefer not to open, but if the team requires it then I have to do it, like I told you, this is a team game, the individual player does what the team requires, not what he himself wants to do. And you can also look at it another way, take it as a compliment that your team recognises not only your keeping abilities, but also your ability with the bat. Look at Alec Stewart, he has been doing very well as keeper and also as batsman and, in fact, is now also the captain, which is one more major responsibility. Point is, if you are mentally strong, nothing is impossible, and cricket is a game for big boys!

Point taken. This has been a year for wicket keepers hanging up their gloves -- Dave Richardson, Jack Russell, and recently, Kiran More. How do you assess those three?

All of them were outstanding, particularly Russell. He was never a regular in the England side, yet he performed well each time he got a chance. As a 'keeper, he was cast in the classical mould. It was only because Stewart is a much better batsman that Russell's career was so short.

Richardson's achievement was obviously immense, in that he was already a very mature keeper by the time South Africa were readmitted into international cricket. In fact, Richardson was thinking of hanging up his gloves for want of opportunities, when the ban against S'Africa was repealed and he got a chance. His keeping to Donald is a lesson, top quality keeping to a top quality quick.

More too was a master of his trade, we played together for Baroda for many years and he was quite happy when I replaced him in the side.

Your habit of appealing for everything has been causing comment...

Which wicketkeeper doesn't appeal? If you find that a batsman is beaten and there is a chance he may be out, you have to appeal, because you are in a better position to watch his every movement. I think it is part and parcel of our trade. To tell you the truth, appealing comes just as naturally to a wicketkeeper as it does to an excited bowler, and that is all there is to it.

Everyone does it, sure, but you are the one who finds himself in controversies at times...

Now that is the sad part -- even I fail to understand why it is me all the time. It's funny, whether I get run out or my partner gets run out, I am blamed, to give you an instance. Anything can happen in the heat of the moment, especially in limited-overs cricket, whicih is something people don't seem to understand. I only hope everything is behind me now and that people will try to understand me and the nature of my difficult, dual role.

Personally speaking, what are your ambitions?

I have already fulfilled one: to score a Test century. But there are many more I want to realise -- scoring a one day century is one, to win man of the match in an ODI. I guess that last one is the real tough one, not too many keepers have won the award in the shorter game. Generally, though, I dont set goals for myself, the few I have are mainly to goad me to do better and better.

You are one of the many members of the side who got married in recent times, has marriage been good for you cricketwise?

Generally I don't believe in such things, but I guess you could say that about me this year, I got married and had a very good year. In the final analysis it is the hard work and the resulting performance that is most important -- I don't deny that the little bit of luck, from wherever it comes, is also useful.

How has celebrity-status changed Nayan Mongia?

It hasn't changed me and it never will. I'm still the same Mongia. The day success goes to your head, you are finished, that is a lesson cricket has taught me. Besides, the charm of success lies in being modest about it. That is how I have been brought up, and I have always believed the game is greater than the players.

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