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Catching them young
N.Venkataramani (second from left), M.D.,India Pistons, inaugurates the TE-IPL Cricket Academy at the India Pistons Ground. Looking on are (from left):T. E. Srinivasan, N. Srinivasan, president, TNCA, former Indian cricketer K. Srikkanth and Goutham Venkataramani, Senior General Manager, India Pistons. Pic. By N. Balaji
TODAY, IF you see an Indian batsman leaning into an impossibly gorgeous cover drive, that willow-wielder in question would most likely be a Rahul Dravid or a V.V.S Laxman. Or perhaps, a Sachin Tendulkar.
But the point is: chances are it won't be a batsman from Tamil Nadu. Not Badani or Ramesh; not Sriram or - keep a straight face - Balaji. The same applies to bowling: the last from the State to make an impact at the international level was spinner L. Sivaramakrishnan - roughly around the time Moses received the Ten Commandments!
Former Test cricketer T. E. Srinivasan believes it is possible to change all that. Srinivasan has just started a coaching academy, the TE-IPL Cricket Academy, mainly to train youngsters in the age group 13-15. A host of former players, including South Zone batsman C. S. Suresh Kumar, will be involved in the day-to-day activities of the academy.
"It is surprising that only a few cricketers from the State have made it big, considering the quality of local talent and the fact that the State has a strong cricketing tradition," says Srinivasan.
The academy will make use of the sprawling India Pistons facility at the CPT grounds in Taramani. Chennai at present has nearly 70 cricket academies, and cynics might dismiss Srinivasan's venture as a money-spinning one; but the former Tamil Nadu batsman refuses to be drawn into comparisons. "There are a few aspects we want to devote special attention to," says Srinivasan. "We have six turf nets and the youngsters will also get to bat on matting wickets, which will teach them how to cope with fast bowling early on.
"We are also preparing a special granite top-layer on a separate concrete pitch. That will make the ball skid, and when the batsman plays on turf pitches he will have that much more time to pick his shots," he says.
Srinivasan, 53, looks none the worse for the 20-odd years he spent on the field, first as a professional cricketer and later as a coach for the first division India Pistons team.
He says he works up a good sweat by playing squash every day for three-quarters of an hour. And he feels youngsters should learn the importance of remaining fit. "We have huge open grounds and emphasis will be laid on fielding. It's important to teach the kids the correct ways to slide and dive," he says.
The most important aspect of the game, in his opinion, is mental toughness.
"You might have the technique, you might have all the shots; but in today's scenario, the opposition could get you out before you get to the crease," he points out. "Mental strength is something that is innate; a coach can only make a player aware of its importance."
Srinivasan, known for both elegance and power in his shots, was one of the most talented batsmen to have emerged from the State. It was unfortunate that he did not enjoy a longer international stint.
Now a PR Manager with India Pistons, Srinivasan plans to use a video camera once a week to record and analyse bowling actions. He hopes to take twenty of the most talented students at the academy on a tour of Australia, to play cricket for a month. He also wants to install lights so that the children can play in the evenings.
"But for all that to happen," he says, "I need sponsors."
Incidentally, T.E., as Srinivasan is known, played in the Yorkshire league; he played grade cricket in New South Wales in the 1980s.
Srinivasan wants youngsters to understand and appreciate the game. "It's okay if they don't make it to the international level; if they do, the credit certainly won't be mine alone," he says. "Above everything, I want them to learn etiquette and courtesy; they should grow up to be gentlemen."
VIJAY PARTHASARATHY
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