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The Cricket Interview/Anshuman Gaekwad

'I am cool, but I'm not lax'

A criticism levelled in recent times is that India lags way behind in terms of strategic thinking...

Like what?

Like, we tend to play by the gut, we don't go in much for specific strategies to counter specific players and teams, that kind of thing... Also, that the coach doesn't contribute much in terms of strategy especially when the match is on... for instance, the captain could be missing something important, it would be simple for the coach to send out a message...

Hmmm, well, I keep reading this kind of thing in the media all the time. One thing you should know is that the coach does send out messages, suggestions, ideas. Not all the time, because that would be needlessly intrusive, but when he thinks it is warranted. But you should also know that the captain need not necessarily follow every suggestion the coach makes in course of the game -- when the game is on, the captain on the field is the best judge, there can be no argument on that score.

For instance, sitting in the pavilion, I might think, watching some guy bat, that maybe this particular bowler should be used. I might even send a message to that effect, to the captain. But out there, the captain perhaps is aware that the bowler in question is tired, or is not quite getting it right just then, whatever -- some factor I am not aware of.

As for pre-match strategy, you should know that I have videotapes -- complete videos -- of every single game India has played in the last two, three years. In team meetings, we keep watching these videos, sometimes go back to older games to analyse one particular aspect, or opponent... there is quite a bit of strategic thinking happening, contrary to what the media thinks.

As the camp winds to a close, what is your assessment thus far?

In sum, it has been extremely, incredibly beneficial.

In terms of the game itself, we have been trying to fine tune the players, especially in the areas of fielding, fitness, running between the wickets, things like that which are our weakest points. Also, the boys have been working on specific aspects of their batting and bowling in the nets, the two practise matches we conducted also helps them put what they have learnt into practise.

Also, the structure of the camp itself has been different from the norm, like that trip to Mahabalipuram or getting them to play football, for instance, initiatives like that have brought the players closer to each other, everyone is now very relaxed, friendly, they chat with each other all the time and there is a cordiality, a spirit of unity, within the team now. So yes, the camp has been extremely beneficial, in both tangible and intangible ways.

How about the synergy within the management team -- Simpson, Dr Chaddha, Andrew Kokinos, yourself?

It's worked very well thus far, frankly. We each have a job to do and we do it without interference from the others. Like, Andrew's job is to improve fitness levels, and when he takes the team, he is in complete charge, Bobby and I don't interfere. Bobby and I look at the actual game, the technical aspects, we get help from Andrew and Chaddha if we ask for it but in this field, we are the ones in charge. And the team doctor's job is well defined, and where it concerns health, he is the one who calls the shots, even I don't overrule him on that.

Basically, like I said, we know our jobs, there are no ego clashes, so it has all been working quite beautifully.

You mentioned the air of relaxed bonhomie -- that seems to apply in particular to the skipper...

Yes, true, Azhar is a very relaxed guy today, he seems completely at ease with himself and his side, and I must say he has been leading the team very well these last few months, both on and off the field.

Does it strike you as strange that the eight probables named later were not asked to join the camp? After all, they too could have benefitted...

No, on the contrary, it was at the insistence of Bobby and me that the camp was restricted to the first 22. Actually, in ideal conditions, we should have had just say 16 players at the outside.

The lesser number of players we have at camps like this, the easier it is to pay individual attention to each player. Sort of like in school -- there is a difference between having one teacher for 20 students, and one teacher for 60 students.

So if you could have your way, how many more of these camps would you require, before the World Cup? I remember reading an early interview of yours, where you had said you would like to take the team somewhere, behind high walls, keep everyone out, and concentrate on fine tuning their play...

If I had my way... well, the question is academic, isn't it? India's schedule has already been drawn up and there is not much room in there for too many more of such camps, so what is the point of discussing it?

Hopefully, we can have at least two more such camps -- one in January, if the Pakistan tour doesn't materialise, and another in April. Then of course, we will be in England two weeks before the World Cup, so that is another camp. So the situation in that respect is not as bad as it seems.

While on the scheduling, do you get the feeling that by May 1999, the team will be jaded given the amount of cricket they are going to be playing between now and then?

Not really, I think that is another media scare, really. Admittedly we are going to be playing a tremendous amount of cricket, but you should remember that so is every other team, you check out the schedules of the other countries and they are pretty much as packed as ours is. True, we have to husband our players, make sure that anyone who is injured has sufficient recovery time before the Cup, but on the plus side, our bench strength now is very good, so we shouldn't have too much of a problem on that score either.

Suppose there really is a Santa Claus, and he offered you whatever you wished for, to make this team complete, what would you ask for?

*laughs* Am I allowed to ask for the World Cup? Seriously, though, I think what I would ask for is one all rounder.

The perpetual grouse of Indian cricket, these last few years...

Well, actually, things are not that bad, there are batsmen in our side capable of contributing four, five good overs with the ball. We also have bowlers in our side capable of contributing 15, 20 runs apiece with the bat, in quick time.

What is needed is for the players to realise that they have a broader responsibility. In the sense, a top bowler, he delivers ten very good overs, he tends to relax, thinks his work for the day is done. The same with a top batsman. We need to change that attitude, to introduce the sort of spirit where, after bowling ten great overs, the bowler, when it comes his turn to bat, is focussing on scoring as much as he can, playing to the needs of the situation... and that is the kind of spirit we are trying to inculcate in them now.

The guys all use words like 'cool', 'easygoing', to describe you, but they also say you are a stern disciplinarian...

*laughing* Sure I am cool, but that doesn't mean I am lax. The term 'disciplinarian' conjures up visions of a schoolmaster type, standing over the players with a stick, well, I am not like that.

My idea of discipline is different. For instance, I do insist on a dress code -- as you can see, even though this is a practise camp, all the players are in whites, they are not allowed to wear anything they fancy. Or even in the evenings, there are functions, engagements, parties, I insist that for these, the boys should be presentable, no wandering around in shorts and things and if it is an official function, then no jeans and casual Ts.

Also in things like punctuality. When I say, for instance, that tomorrow's session will start at 8 o'clock and the team bus will be ready at 7.30, I mean exactly that, I expect the players, with their kits, to be in the hotel lobby and ready to go by 7.25. And if they are not on time, I leave them behind...

No exceptions?

None, I have even left the best of players behind, left him to make his own way to the ground.

Since we are talking about a bunch of adults here, surely this kind of thing is too excessive?

No, discipline is necessary, and what we have is definitely not excessive. The thing is, these things have a subliminal effect. Everyone is dressed in whites, everyone adheres to timings, all this external discipline tends to have an internal impact, on your own performance, on team spirit... I would think discipline is very important, I am relaxed with the boys, definitely, but we all know where the lines are drawn...

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