The Hindu : Sport : ‘India’s fielders lack anticipation’

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Tuesday, Sep 04, 2007
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Sport

‘India’s fielders lack anticipation’

S. Dinakar

Leeds: Roshan Mahanama is disappointed by the effort put in by some of the younger Indian fielders during the on-going NatWest ODI series. The former Sri Lankan batsman is watching these games from rather close quarters — as the match referee.

A batsman of wristy elegance in his time, Manahana was also an outstanding fielder, among the best to emerge from Sri Lanka.

He told The Hindu in an exclusive interview, “Fielding is a lot about pride. It is a challenge you put before yourself first. If I am in the ring, at cover, I am not going to give the batsman a single. If I am standing slightl y deeper, I am not going to concede the second run. This is the kind of attitude you need to have.”

Not anticipating

Mahanama elaborates: “You see some of the younger Indian boys, Yuvraj is an exception here, they are not anticipating well. If you notice Yuvraj or Mohammed Kaif, they are ready as soon as the batsman makes the initial movement. This is much before he actually strikes the ball. They have an idea of where the ball could travel. So the better fielders gain time and the extra split second can make all the difference.”

Pro-active

The Sri Lankan is spot on. And what he says is particularly relevant to fielding in the circle, in the era of powerful bats and fast outfields. A fielder needs to be pro-active.

The 41-year-old Manahana took 56 catches in 52 Tests apart from scoring 2576 runs at 29.27. In the ODIs, he held 109 catches in 213 matches, where he made 5162 runs at 29.49. The attractive stroke-maker’s strength was his fielding.

“It is all about commitment, preparation, and concentration. Jonty Rhodes would walk in as the bowler ran in, and then, just before the point of impact, stand still, his body weight equally distributed. He was ideally poised to move both ways. That is why he was so brilliant,” points out Mahanama.

He adds that the fielders have to make subtle adjustments when they move from a smaller to a bigger ground or vice versa. Small changes can make a big difference.

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