The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : We need to play positive cricket, says Raman

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Wednesday, Dec 19, 2007
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We need to play positive cricket, says Raman

Special Correspondent

Chennai: W.V. Raman does not want his boys to travel to South Africa for the forthcoming under-19 one-day tri-series with a fixed mind-set about the conditions.

The new India under-19 coach told The Hindu on Tuesday, “They should not make up their mind about the kind of cricket they are going to play, about the pitches they are likely to encounter. Sometimes, you do not get surfaces with pace and bounce in South Africa.”

Raman elaborated, “We need to play normal but positive cricket and make adjustments according to the conditions and the situations. We should not put too much pressure on ourselves by pre-judging. It’s a mental thing actually. ”

He stressed “an open mind and flexible thinking.” Raman added “When you are on tour, you mix with people and shed inhibitions. The boys should handle different food. Learn to live in a team environment.”

The former India batsman said the opportunity to guide the budding youngsters was an exciting one. “They are obviously good because they have been picked to represent the country. Most of these cricketers are already representing their states in Ranji Trophy. This could be the nucleus of a future Indian side. It will be a challenge to shape these cricketers without them losing their natural ability.”

India, Raman said, had a proud record in under-19 cricket. “We have traditionally been among the top teams. People expect us to perform well. We have the ability.”

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