Captaining was easier in the days gone by: Gavaskar

Calcutta: Former India captain Sunil Manohar Gavaskar, a living legend, spoke to The Telegraph (from Mumbai) on Tuesday afternoon, on the eve of getting the highest award from the Board of Control for Cricket in India, instituted in memory of the country’s first captain.

If anybody needs a reminder, Gavaskar, now 63, was the first to 10,000 runs in Test cricket and his record of 34 hundreds at the very highest level stood for years till Sachin Tendulkar got past him.

The following are excerpts from the one-on-one over the phone

Will Wednesday be just another day, or a special one?

It’s going to be special... The Col. C.K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award is the biggest in Indian cricket and it’s an honour to be getting it.

But should you have got the award earlier?

That’s not for me to judge. I’m happy to be getting it.

Is there somebody you’ll remember more than the others when you get the trophy, the citation and the cheque for Rs 25 lakh?

You’ve got to wait for the answer.

[One can expect Gavaskar to make a special mention of his late father, Manohar, the late M.L. Jaisimha (his hero), and teammates such as Dilip Sardesai and Eknath Solkar, who are also no more.]

Do you intend turning up in an India blazer and tie?

(Laughs) Haven’t decided... I do have some of my India blazers, but they’re at my parents’ house in Pune.

What made you the batsman you were? Talent, dedication, perhaps some luck...

A combination, really... More determination and dedication, perhaps... One can be talented, but the temperament must also be there.

Is temperament, then, the No.1 quality to possess?

Pretty much so. You may not be that talented, but if you have the temperament, then you could still make it. At the highest level, you need it.

On and off the field, you were supremely disciplined. Was it because of your upbringing?

The upbringing, yes... Then, the teams I played for had discipline as their centre point.

Is there a long list of don’ts for batsmen?

I’m not sure about the don’ts, but I was guided by the three D’s — discipline, determination, dedication. Whatever the field, not only cricket, you need all three to succeed.

Were there times when you’d be nervous?

I used to be most nervous on the eve of a series... It used to be a tough night... But being nervous does help one to concentrate better. So, you should be nervous (to a degree).

For all the big runs you scored, was there a bowler who made you work harder?

I respected all the bowlers, for each one of them tried to get me out... I can’t take one name.

What did 16 years of international cricket teach you? Did you grow as a person?

The exposure to different cultures widened my horizon... You pick up the good points... Even if it’s subconsciously, you try and add the good points to your way of life. The years of travelling definitely enriched my life.

You retired 25 years ago... What’s your assessment of the state of Indian cricket today?

It’s in better space... When I began in 1971, Indian cricket then was in better space than it was in 1947... It’s natural progression... Generally, the world is a better place as time moves on, for people learn from experience. Those who don’t, struggle.

Going forward, how can Indian cricket get better?

It’s not for one person to make a suggestion... You need several heads to sit down and chalk out a vision. Indian cricket, I’m sure, will go forward.

You’ve often made the point that the India cap must be earned. Has it come easy to a few in the past 25 years?

That’s subjective, you know... I may think it has come easy, but the player in question could have an X number of reasons for getting to play for India. So...

How important is it for a captain to also be a visionary — to look well ahead, not just at the very next Test or the next series?

Provided he’s appointed captain for a year or two.

Would you favour a long-term appointment?

Form and fitness permitting. The selectors have been retaining (Mahendra Singh) Dhoni season by season without a meeting being called specifically for that.

Do captains have a shelf life?

Depends on the stress they can take. It’s best if a captain gets the job after four-five years of international cricket. He could then be in that position for seven-eight years. For me, it’s not so much about a shelf life.

Can captaincy become a burden, affect the individual’s own performance?

Well, as captain, you become aware of the issues facing the other players and you’ve got to think about them as opposed to thinking only about your game. A captain’s focus gets wider.

It’s a learning process...

It is.

With so many in the support staff now, was it actually easier captaining in your time?

I do think it was easier in the days gone by... Today, with the head coach and the specialist coaches saying so many things, a captain may take decisions out of respect (for the coaches), rather than out of conviction.

You were the boss...

On the field, and I could be held accountable.

Should Dhoni’s load be lightened by giving the T20 captaincy to Virat Kohli?

Look, you have five people being paid substantially (at least Rs 60 lakh annually each) to take such decisions. It’s not for me to comment.

I suppose this ‘who is the greatest debate’ featuring you, Kapil Dev and Sachin will never end. But is it necessary?

It’s good for adda sessions... Good to have the debate there... But I know that the three of us respect each other and respect each other’s achievements. It wouldn’t matter who is placed where in the debate.

You have a massive following. How come you’ve never taken to politics?

Because to be a politician, you’ve got to have the experience from the grassroots level... Being a monitor or a head boy in school or having a position in college could give you an idea of what to expect... You can’t hope to be successful if you don’t have the experience. I don’t think you can just get into politics.

Weren’t you even a monitor?

(Laughs) Never, stayed far away from such positions.

The final one... Is there a regret?

Again, wait till Wednesday evening!

Cheteshwar Pujara - The worker ant

Some years ago I watched a day’s cricket at theWankhede Stadium in Mumbai. I have forgotten the year, the tournament, the teams and most of the players. I am guessing it must have been aMumbai-Saurashtra match but I could be wrong. Maybe it was a Duleep Trophy game. I am not sure. I can find out but that would defeat the purpose.

What I remember is Cheteshwar Pujara batting. I forget his score. I am sure it was fifty or a hundred - one ardent fan, a regular at the Wankhede (I think his name was Gaudalkar) ran onto the field to hug him. But I forget if Pujarawent on to a big score. I don’t remember how he got out, if he indeed did. 

What else do I remember. Hmm. I spent most of the day sitting in the stands above the Garware pavilion reading a book. Obviously I have forgotten which book. I can’t give you details of the weather but we can safely assume it was a hot day, that the air was viscous and that the sea breeze picked up after tea. That’s how it usually is at the Wankhede. 

It is highly likely that I might have dozed off at some stage of the day. Many domestic matches lull me into a happy slumber, especially in that delicate session after lunch. I wonder how the players stay awake, though it isn’t uncommon to see a third-man, fine-leg or deep backward square leg let out noticeable yawns. Watch these guys when you visit a stadium next.

I don’t remember any Pujara stroke from that day. No drive, punch or pull imprinted itself in my memory. At no point did I sit erect in my seat, eyes wide open, mouth agape. Not once did I go ‘ooofff’ or ‘aaawww’. There was no wind-up of the back-lift, no exaggerated follow-through. I don’t think he struck a six because a six in a first-class match, however inconsequential, is hard to forget. 

I don’t remember the ball screaming off his bat, neither do I recall a hammered ‘tock’ - a sound more detectable in eerie domestic fields than in raucous international ones. There was no discernible urgency between the stumps, no flurry of fours. At least that’s what my memory tells me.

I am dead certain that I didn’t watch every ball that Pujara faced. I don’t watch cricket that way. When alone at a cricket match I am usually engaged in a book or a newspaper (often it’s not the news or the editorials but the crossword puzzles and sudoku that keeps me occupied). When with a group, I am often more interested in the chatter - random observations about a section of the crowd, a stray comment about a player, a joke. Cricket is a wonderful backdrop; life goes on regardless. 

And that’s all I remember from that day. 

***

I’ve been thinking about this Pujara fellow. It’s taken me a while to warm up to him. He is not a batsman who takes instant flight, nor one who burrows with apparent effort. He doesn’t deal in stealth nor is he interested in pugnacity. 

Instead there is a wholesomeness about him. He is that guy in the opposition who is hardest to get out. In league cricket parlance, he may be called a ‘solid’ batsman, or more accurately a ‘ssssaaw-lid’ batsman. The longer the solid, the more attention one must pay. 

These fellows are impossible. Sledging them is useless; trying to get under their skin - as James Anderson tried when he bumped into Pujara in the third session of the first day - futile. You can’t irritate them out - they will leave deliveries outside off all day and all night, then they will flick a loose ball on leg for four. You can’t find any obvious weakness. Probe outside off at Ahmedabad, so be it; bounce at Mumbai, so be it. 

We’ve all seen these guys at various levels of cricket. They will defend impeccably over after over before tapping a single, wangling a two, and occasionally - shock! horror! - pinching a four. There is a serene industriousness about them, worker ants who ferry grains of rice. They will reach thirty before you have even started paying them any attention. Once they’re set they may - if the planets are properly aligned - offer you a chance. If you miss - as England did on the first day in Mumbai - you’re in trouble.

The history of Indian domestic cricket is littered with such batsmen, many of whom mastered the worker-ant method at the first-class level. However Pujara’s early success - and let’s remember he is only seven Tests old and yet to score big abroad - also represents a success for an oft-maligned system. 

Anyone who has even remotely followed the Indian domestic scene for the last five years would tell you that Cheteshwar Pujara can make runs. Rain wets, fire burns, Pujara scores. Simple. 

The question mark hovering over him was the one that has hovered over many prolific domestic run-machines: Can he translate his success to the higher level? Can he use the same ‘solid’ approach to conquer international bowlers? Does he have the temperament to make big scores against top quality opposition on challenging pitches? 

He has partly answered the question. The most refreshing aspect about this - which should gladden several batsmen around the country - is that he has managed this without trying anything fancy. He’s not grown wings, he’s not sharpened his claws, he’s not attached any scales.

Instead he’s done pretty much the same thing that turned him into a run-ogre at the first-class level. He has walked. Upright, measured and understated, he has taken one step, then another, one more step, and another. 

There is nothing dazzling about this. There is a reason walking - and I’m referring to the assured, steady variety - is not a spectator sport. But it’s solid. Very, very solid. And for a team on the cusp of a generational transition, that works just fine.

Dravid to be appointed new chairman of NCA

New Delhi: Rahul Dravid might have hung his boots leaving a big gap in the Indian batting line-up, but budding cricketers are set to benefit as The Wall of Indian cricket is set to be appointed as the chairman of the National Cricket Academy (NCA).

With Sandeep Patil being nominated as the chairman of the newly formed selection committee, the NCA post has been left vacant and after much deliberation, it was decided that Dravid suits the bill to perfection.

NCA was formed as a finishing school for talented cricketers to fine-tune their skills for the top level. Top officials in the Board of Control for Cricket in India ( BCCI) believe that Dravid’s tactical acumen and experience was better suited than the other candidate in the fray — Kiran More.

A top BCCI official said that Dravid has been a great servant of the game and his knowledge would augur well for talented cricketers looking to represent the country in the future.

“Dravid has not only played at the top level for around 16 years, he has also captained the national team for around two years and for youngsters looking to play for India, there couldn’t be a better mentor,” the official told MAIL TODAY. “Also, Dravid has been an intense reader of the game right through his career and every young player would learn a lot from his experience and being around him,” he said.

“Although former selector More was also in the fray, we finally zeroed in on Dravid because he resides in Bangalore and staying away from the family wouldn’t be an issue.” 

The concern in this regard was whether Dravid would accept the offer at this point of time when he is keen on a career as a television pundit.

But with former teammate Anil Kumble persuading Dravid on BCCI’s behalf, it was only a matter of time.

Although Dravid is yet to sign on the dotted line, the decision has been made and the board is waiting for president N Srinivasan to return from Colombo — where the ICC had a meeting on Tuesday — before a meeting is held between the two parties and an official announcement is made.

Considering Dravid’s stature, well wishers of Indian cricket can hope for better days in the future.

Dhoni comments were negative, says Waugh

New Delhi: India's nine- wicket win over England in the first Test in Ahmedabad might have brought joy to the fans, but captain MS Dhoni’s demand for pitches that ‘turn right from the start’ hasn’t gone down well with former Australia skipper Steve Waugh.

In the Capital to attend the Australia– India Innovation Forum, Waugh said Dhoni’s comments were negative, especially when India has a team that aspires to be the best in the world.

“If you want to be the best, you have to play well in all types of conditions and not ask for conditions that suit your style of play. MS Dhoni’s comments were really negative, when he asked the curators to doctor the pitches,” Waugh said.

“I am a bit surprised, especially as India is one of the better sides, going by [ its] quality.” Waugh added that he too had captained his national side, but never asked for pitches that would make the game onesided.

“I captained Australia for 57 games but never did I have a word with the curator about the kind of pitch that we are going to play” he said.

The 47- year- old Waugh added that he saw no reason why India would not win the current series comprehensively.

“India will win this series. I think the result will be 3- 0. They have a pretty good side and it’s always hard to beat them in their country. The pitches are also going to suit them,” he said.

The fact that the current Indian team owes much of its success to the younger players hasn’t gone unnoticed by Waugh.

“Some very talented youngsters are coming up. [ Cheteshwar] Pujara getting a double century, [ Pragyan] Ojha taking wickets and then there is Virat Kohli, it’s a great sign for Indian cricket,” he said.

Waugh added that it was good to see the youngsters fighting it out bravely, with seniors like Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman having hung up their boots.

“Sometimes you get too carried away that experienced players are irreplaceable, but the natural thing will happen.Someone will step up to play and take that role,” he said.

Regarding, the Aussies’ tour of India early next year, Waugh said though it will be a close series, Australia will be the stronger side of the two.

“It will be an interesting situation for both the teams. By that time Australia will be more developed than India because they have started turning things around now, while Australia have started that process 12 to 18 months ago. It will be a close series” he predicted.

Waugh added that one needs at least two years to mature at the international level.

“I guess India’s performance will depend upon factors like whether Tendulkar is still around. Some of the legends of the game like Dravid, Laxman and Ganguly are not there. You need a couple of years to come around and perform consistently,” he said.

“But the good sign is that despite the absence of the legends, the side is still playing well. That tells you India has got a lot of depth in their cricket system.” Regarding, Australia’s ongoing Test series against South Africa, Waugh appreciated their effort in holding South Africa to a draw in the first Test in Brisbane, despite being the underdogs.

“It was good for Australia to do well in the first Test as they were the underdogs. Michael Clarke did well as the captain,” he said. “ Apart from that, Ed Cowan’s century was also important as people were beginning to question his position in the side.” Waugh added that if Australia, currently third in the ICC rankings, can draw the series against the top- ranked Proteas, it would be a good result. “ If we come out with a draw in this series it will be a good result for our team,” he said.

Dravid backs Dhoni to remain captain

Calcutta: Rahul Dravid has backed Mahendra Singh Dhoni to remain in the hot seat but felt the selectors can, in the near future, consider reducing the India skipper’s workload in one format to get the best out of him.

“From his own personal point of view, you also want to see the best of Dhoni as a player. He has a lot to contribute as a batsman and wicketkeeper and we want to see the best of that,” Dravid said.

“I don’t think we want to lose that and if that means at some stage, may be the time’s not right now, but in the near future, we have to relieve him of the responsibility from one format to get the best out of him as a player then I think the selectors have to take that call. His workload must be reduced,” he added.

Notwithstanding the eight Test defeats last year, Dravid said Dhoni should be given a chance to learn from those reverses.

“Dhoni has every right to survive it, because he’s Dhoni. He has had a disappointing last year but he has won India a World Cup, we’ve been the No. 1 Test side under Dhoni."

“If you put pressure on him so early in the piece, or if you try to change someone like Dhoni now, I don’t think you’ll get to see what he’s learned from the last year,” Dravid was quoted as saying by a website.

Dravid advised Dhoni that he should not just look forward to the upcoming series against England and Australia, but also start thinking about India’s overseas tours.

“He has got to have an eye on some of the challenges he faces in his career, to be seen as a good overseas captain as well. That will be a function of the team he gets, but he’s got to try and have an influence on the kind of team he gets, the kind of personnel he wants and that’s a process that he’s got to start now."

“It’s a process of communication and negotiation with selectors, coaches, working on some of the skill-sets of some of the bowlers and young batsmen coming through on what is required in a year’s time."

“So while he has a micro view of what needs to be done in these (home) series, he needs to discuss with the selectors about the kind of players he wants in South Africa and entrust them with the job of actually finding those players in domestic cricket,” Dravid said.

He also saw Virat Kohli as a future captain, provided he was able to extend the success he has had for another year.

“In the next 12 months, if he has the kind of 12 months he has had and establishes himself in all three formats of the game, people are going to seriously have to look at him.”

Dhoni comments were negative, says Waugh

New Delhi: India's nine- wicket win over England in the first Test in Ahmedabad might have brought joy to the fans, but captain MS Dhoni’s demand for pitches that ‘turn right from the start’ hasn’t gone down well with former Australia skipper Steve Waugh.

In the Capital to attend the Australia– India Innovation Forum, Waugh said Dhoni’s comments were negative, especially when India has a team that aspires to be the best in the world.

“If you want to be the best, you have to play well in all types of conditions and not ask for conditions that suit your style of play. MS Dhoni’s comments were really negative, when he asked the curators to doctor the pitches,” Waugh said.

“I am a bit surprised, especially as India is one of the better sides, going by [ its] quality.” Waugh added that he too had captained his national side, but never asked for pitches that would make the game onesided.

“I captained Australia for 57 games but never did I have a word with the curator about the kind of pitch that we are going to play” he said.

The 47- year- old Waugh added that he saw no reason why India would not win the current series comprehensively.

“India will win this series. I think the result will be 3- 0. They have a pretty good side and it’s always hard to beat them in their country. The pitches are also going to suit them,” he said.

The fact that the current Indian team owes much of its success to the younger players hasn’t gone unnoticed by Waugh.

“Some very talented youngsters are coming up. [ Cheteshwar] Pujara getting a double century, [ Pragyan] Ojha taking wickets and then there is Virat Kohli, it’s a great sign for Indian cricket,” he said.

Waugh added that it was good to see the youngsters fighting it out bravely, with seniors like Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman having hung up their boots.

“Sometimes you get too carried away that experienced players are irreplaceable, but the natural thing will happen.Someone will step up to play and take that role,” he said.

Regarding, the Aussies’ tour of India early next year, Waugh said though it will be a close series, Australia will be the stronger side of the two.

“It will be an interesting situation for both the teams. By that time Australia will be more developed than India because they have started turning things around now, while Australia have started that process 12 to 18 months ago. It will be a close series” he predicted.

Waugh added that one needs at least two years to mature at the international level.

“I guess India’s performance will depend upon factors like whether Tendulkar is still around. Some of the legends of the game like Dravid, Laxman and Ganguly are not there. You need a couple of years to come around and perform consistently,” he said.

“But the good sign is that despite the absence of the legends, the side is still playing well. That tells you India has got a lot of depth in their cricket system.” Regarding, Australia’s ongoing Test series against South Africa, Waugh appreciated their effort in holding South Africa to a draw in the first Test in Brisbane, despite being the underdogs.

“It was good for Australia to do well in the first Test as they were the underdogs. Michael Clarke did well as the captain,” he said. “ Apart from that, Ed Cowan’s century was also important as people were beginning to question his position in the side.” Waugh added that if Australia, currently third in the ICC rankings, can draw the series against the top- ranked Proteas, it would be a good result. “ If we come out with a draw in this series it will be a good result for our team,” he said.

Dhoni slams Motera wicket

Ahmedabad: The first words that a belligerent captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni uttered on entering the press conference hall on Monday were: “I don’t even want to see this wicket.” He said he wants pitches that provide assistance to spinners from the very beginning of a match, opening the unending debate on what an ideal pitch should be like.

Those words — perhaps the strongest that Dhoni has ever used about pitches — were followed by some more extremely candid demands that the India skipper made after his team registered a nine-wicket win over England.

On the other hand, England captain Alastair Cook, who scored as superb 176, termed the pitch a “very good cricket wicket” and even admitted that it exceeded his expectations as it didn’t deteriorate.

Dhiraj Parsana, the chief curator of the Gujarat Cricket Association, who supervised the pitch preparation, was satisfied at achieving his target, which was to see the match last the distance.

Captain should have his way on pitches

Should home captains be allowed to demand made-to-order pitches? What happens then to the concept of ‘sporting’ pitches and even more so the ideal of fair play, which is deemed intrinsic tocricket? MS Dhoni’s repeated statements over the past month that he wants turners for the Tests against England have evoked widespread debate and controversy, drawing in people from all over the world including players, administrators and fans.

Some, like former Australia captain Steve Waugh, believe this would be detrimental to the spirit of the game. Waugh believes that teams should be able to prove themselves in all conditions, without contriving one to suit them.

Another great Aussie, Shane Warne, thinks Dhoni’s sustained petitioning for turners is actually gamesmanship.

Warne speculates that by speaking about pitches repeatedly, Dhoni is putting pressure on theEngland team, knowing their susceptibility to spin.