The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Form is a matter of a day: Gavaskar

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Oct 19, 2004

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Sport - Cricket

Form is a matter of a day: Gavaskar

By S. Dinakar

MASTER CLASS: The Indian team's batting consultant, Sunil Gavaskar (right), has a serious discussion with Yuvraj Singh and Parthiv Patel. — Photo: V. Ganesan

CHENNAI, OCT. 18. The casually attired Sunil Gavaskar alights from the lift and after striding through the hotel lobby, enters the coffee shop, hair neatly combed, face sporting a smile, and those eyes, still mischievous, probing and penetrating, now picking out an image from the television in the corner, now looking into you and asking questions, when it is you who is interviewing.

At 55, he is still fresh, bright and young, his visage retaining a kind of timelessness that one associates with his immortal batting. The cricketing legend, now the batting consultant of the Indian team, shed light on his new role here on Monday.

The final day's play of the second TVS Cup Test for the Border-Gavaskar trophy being washed out has left him disappointed. "We had a good chance of levelling the series. We had the momentum in our favour. Now we will be seeking to win in Nagpur and Mumbai."

"Form is a matter of a day," he says, while expressing confidence that Indian batting heavyweights skipper Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, and V.V.S. Laxman would be back among big runs in the remaining two Tests.

He cites Virender Sehwag's strokeful hundred in the first innings of the second Test as an example, and adds it is not impossible to turn things around, even if the adversary was as formidable as Australia. "They are all quality cricketers, they have all performed in the past."

Zeroing in on Ganguly's form in particular, he says, "As captain he is always bothered about the performance of the others, and as a result his own batting has suffered a bit. He should get over it."

Gavaskar sent an SMS from London to the Indian captain, wishing him luck ahead of the India-Australia series. And Ganguly sent him a reply that read — "We want you here."

The legend says, "When the Indian captain makes a request, you just cannot say `no'. Of course, I weighed the options before finally saying `yes.''

Chemistry is right

The chemistry between Ganguly and Sunil Gavaskar is just right. "I like him, his attitude and the way he leads the side. Do not forget, we share the same birth sign (cancer) and share the same initials!"

The former opening great concedes that more than technical changes, he would be working on the approach and the mind of the batsmen. Ask his about his observations about the Indian batting after the first two Tests and his response is, "They have to get out of the one-day mode. In Chennai, I could see an improvement. They were playing too many strokes in Bangalore." Gavaskar said he would lay emphasis on shot selection.

And the master of judgment in the corridor says that the Indian batsmen might have to learn to leave a lot more deliveries outside the off-stump. "That is an area they could work on at least while negotiating the new ball, or in the early stages of their innings. This is not all that easy, with someone like Glenn McGrath bowling so close to the stumps, and releasing the ball from so close to his ear."

He terms maestro Sachin Tendulkar's absence from the team for the first two Tests a " huge loss," not only for his run-making ability, but also for his inputs to the team, and inspirational value.

On the subject of openers, Gavaskar does not find anything wrong in Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh, an aggressive combination, coming together as long as they put runs on the board. "We have to look at the need of the hour and the present situation." He says Akash Chopra will be in the picture. "He has contributed usefully against Australia in the past."

Gavaskar is pleased as punch that young men like Parthiv Patel, Irfan Pathan and Mohammed Kaif have put their hands up in the bottom half of the Indian line-up. "This is a healthy sign," he says.

The return to the Indian team, in a different capacity, has also been an emotional ride for Gavaskar. "I look at the dressing room here and remember where each one of us sat during our days. Venkatraghavan used to sit in a chair reserved for him, to my right was Jimmy Amarnath, and opposite us was G.R. Viswanath. Those memories do return."

With memories that are old, and a mind that is young, Sunil Manohar Gavaskar goes about his new job.

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