INTERVIEW OF THE WEEK:
SACHIN TENDULKAR
"Its Vital to Win
Abroad" As
he embraces captaincy for the second time, Sachin Tendulkar seems more thoughtful. But do
not expect magic of him immediately. He has big plans but they will unfold over time.
Maybe he will use different players for different conditions, maybe he will push for
fringe players to be brought in. But at least expect a more aggressive team. The India
captain spent two hours with Associate Editor Rohit
Brijnath at his home in Mumbai. Excerpts:
You never back away from challenges, so why were
you reluctant to be captain?
I was mentally not prepared. I had some family problems. My father passed away, and
I still feel he's somewhere out on holiday. It is very hard to accept that he's no more. I
feel I've not fully recovered from that. Whenever I get back home and look at his
photograph it's very hard. That was one of the reasons and I just felt I needed some time
to settle down.
There was criticism about your batting in the World
Cup. Do you think people don't understand how hard it was for you?
It was hard. It's very easy to write, very difficult to go in there and do what you
are expected to do. It really doesn't matter what people wrote or said. It was mainly my
mother who said, 'You came back, fine, but you're leaving this country again'. She told me
your father would have wanted the same thing, you have to go back and play. It was very
hard.
If there was no pressure on you, would you have
stayed in India?
I had gone blank, my brain was not functioning. Whatever my family members were
telling me, I was listening to them. It was probably beyond my capacity to take a decision
at that time.
As captain earlier, you say you had back luck. Did
you make mistakes?
I feel each captain wins and loses. The matches we should have won (in the West
Indies and South Africa in 1997) we didn't, and that's why people feel we didn't win
anything. It hurts because those matches were in our pockets, we didn't take advantage of
our position.
You were criticised for talking to bowlers after
every delivery. Now you're older, will you change?
I don't think so. If a captain feels a bowler isn't doing a particular thing, it is
his job to tell him every time. If he's not doing something, who will tell him?
Indian captains are usually not forceful, will you
be?
Rather than being forceful I'd like to get results. I don't want individual
performances, I want what is good for the team. It may be a quick 25 runs but those 25
runs win us the game. I would be happy with that and I'd do anything for that player.
Because he has won the game thinking about the team and not his individual performance.
Is that the problem? Like the Aussies play as a
team, we don't seem to.
I think we are committed. But I feel the people in India should be patient.
(Marvan) Atapattu (Sri Lankan batsman) scored five zeros in six innings and he was still
there in the team. Now he's become one of their main batsmen. It paid off only because
they were patient and gave him opportunities. Whereas if someone scored five zeros in six
innings in India he would not survive. I don't think players feel the pressure because of
the crowds, but sometimes (they think) what will happen if they fail.
Do you think there is this fear of failure among
players?
I think so sometimes. Players should be given opportunities. If you feel he's good
enough to play one Test, why not two or three?
With Woolmer's absence, Hansie Cronje is going to
be allowed to run the team his way. Would you like such total charge?
We'll have to wait and see. It doesn't happen overnight. Hansie's been leading for
five to six years, he got total charge just a year ago.
But do you think that's the direction Indian
cricket should take?
Yes, the captain should be allowed to do what he wants. There comes a time when you
realise you're fully ready and fellows around you realise it also.
What changes would you like to see in Indian
cricket?
Domestic cricket is important. We should play on good tracks where fast bowlers and
spinner enjoy their stint. And anyone who bats well scores runs.
Are we therefore producing the wrong type of
cricketers?
International cricket is all about how good you are against fast bowling and that
is what we need.
It is said we're 20 years behind countries like
Australia, especially looking at their academy and sports science facilities.
It's important to have an academy where all the talented players from India
practise together, which doesn't happen. Sri Lanka do it, Australia do it, others do it,
it's high time we started it.
In the past 10 years we haven't won anything
abroad, except in Sri Lanka.
That is important, to go abroad and win. It's a difficult thing. I think winning
abroad would give a new dimension to the team.
Is Australia in winter the big tour?
Yes.
How will you prepare for it?
I don't want to disclose it. I'd rather do it, then say this was what our
preparation was.
Would you like a camp?
I'd like a normal camp but very constructive. We have to be realistic. What do we
think we will get in Australia, this is the type of cricket in Australia, this is what we
have to practise. I'll be very precise on what to practise.
Would you also talk to your team about attitude as
the Aussies are tough?
I think our players are also very tough. I've specially been impressed by Rahul
(Dravid). Saurav (Ganguly) too has done a good job and scored a lot of runs. I see a
bright future for both of them. They've established themselves but now is the time to
tighten up and take over with the world at their feet.
Should we have a foreign coach to assist the
national coach?
We've had a foreign coach for two and a half months. We can also always sit
together and decide what to do. We have to be precise in what we need and accordingly find
the person to do the job.
Do you think like England we should have separate
batting, bowling and fielding coaches?
I think we have to try that, it might not be a bad idea. We have to try. If you sit
back and not do anything no way will you improve.
There are differing points of view in this team.
Some believe the back-ups, like a fitness trainer, are useless and what counts is what you
do on the field. Others feel every bit helps. What's your view?
I have seen few players who are good during fitness tests
but not when the match is on. I feel training is important provided you're willing to take
that extra risk, pushing yourself as hard as possible during the game. There's no point
pushing yourself hard in practice and being cautious on the field.
What do you look for in players?
Effort and commitment. If I can get that I'll be very happy.
Do you read books on captaincy?
No, I've not read books on it.
What about Mike Brearley's Art of Captaincy?
I have it but have not read it fully.
You've been so successful, does that mean you have
a problem coping with failure?
I don't like losing. If I'm playing for India why should I lose? People say it's
okay to lose once in a while. I don't agree with that. Yes, it's bound to happen, you
can't win all the time, but you shouldn't be happy about it.
There is an impression that India is a soft team?
Sometimes we tend to be soft, that's only because of our culture.
Sometimes the body language seems wrong, there's
not enough aggression. In Australia we will have to be.
Yes, body language is important because the Aussies are going to come on to us very
hard, and you have to be hard enough to bounce back. We have to prepare ourselves for
that.
Should we show aggression?
Sometimes it's necessary to show it. Just looking into someone's eyes you can make
out he's intense and knows what his job is. Sometimes you just need to concentrate on the
job rather than your body. It depends on the situation.
Where do you want to bat in one-dayers?
I'd like to open.
Every time you bat people will be comparing your
averages with the time when you weren't captain.
I'll do what I'm capable of. I'm not going to think about what people feel. |
