Indian captain Badrinath feels playing in Australia will be a great learning experience for the boys.

Friday, July 17, 2009

'Our team can win the tournament'

Indian team for the forthcoming Emerging Players tournament in Australia’s Brisbane was undergoing a five-day training at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore. G. Arun caught up with the captain S. Badrinath before the team left for Australia. Here it goes…

What was this five-day camp all about and how similar or different are conditions going to be when you take the field on July 20, the opening day, against Australian Institute of Sports team in the Emerging Players tournament in Australia?

Obviously, the conditions are going to be different. Starting from the climate to the pitches, everything is going to be different. The purpose of this competition is also to go play in different conditions, learn from those experiences and get better as cricketers.

This camp was about getting to know the players in the team. We’re from different parts of India and many of them are in this team for the first time. Over these last five days, I’ve seen and interacted with the players I hadn’t known previously and I am getting to know them better.

You were the captain of the Emerging Players team last time around as well. Your experience will surely come handy to youngsters in the side, isn’t it? 

I think I learnt a lot about the tournament, about the format and about the conditions in Brisbane (Australia) at this time of the year. I also realize that this tournament is a hectic one; we are due to play nine matches in about 13 days and I think in that sense I can pass on to the team what to expect when we land in Australia.

The wickets in Australia are generally known to be pretty pacy and bouncy. After playing in those conditions, when you return to India, do you get to apply all those adjustments when you play here on surfaces with low bounce? How difficult is it to adjust back to Indian conditions?

I don’t think you can actually apply what you have learnt in Australia when it comes to playing in India given the different nature of the tracks. The conditions being as different as chalk and cheese, one really can’t use those while playing in India. But it surely helps you to develop as a cricketer and equips you when playing at the international level.

Being the captain, have you had any interactions with the national selectors on the tournament and players’ role? You and Virat (Kohli) played for India pretty soon after the last edition of this tournament. So, in that sense, this tournament is pretty significant. Isn’t it?

Yes, I’ve had a word with the selectors and they have given me a few guidelines. Obviously, with me being the captain, they’ve told me a few things and I too have a few things on my mind about how to go about things. So I’ll try and implement all that when I’m on the field.

How do players approach such events? For guys like you or Virat or Manoj (Tiwary), it’s the chance to seal a place in the Indian team. But how do you think guys like Pradeep Sangwan or Bhuvaneshwar Kumar (only 18-yrs-old) will approach this competition?

I think for the guys, who are part of this Emerging Players team, it’ll be a great experience. Obviously, there is going to be great competition in an event like this with three other strong teams in the fray. So it’s a great platform to gain experience from and I’m sure these guys will only return as better cricketers.

How do you prepare for an event like this given there is little help in terms of video analysis or information about your opponents. So, in a way, this is going to be a test of captaincy skills as well. Isn’t it?

As for video analysis, we have this facility, and to begin with, we are using it to fine-tune our technique and eliminate flaws in our game. Until the first couple of games in the tournament, we won’t have too much video analysis about our opponents. But as we go along, I’m sure we will have the technology aid us with strengths and weaknesses of our opponents. It’ll give us an insight into what players have done earlier in the tournament and help us understand what kind of fields to set and what lines and lengths to bowl.

You have two spinners in the squad – Amit Mishra and R Ashwin. What role do you think they are going to play in the tournament? 

I think the spinners will play a crucial role for us. I don’t think the other three teams would have played quality spinners and will not be that equipped to handle the two quality spinners we have in our squad. I think they will have a major role to play and I’m banking on them to pick up wickets and keep things tight especially in the middle overs.

There are several players in this squad who will be competing for the one-odd place in the Indian One-day team. What do you have to say about the competition for that place in the national side? 

Healthy competition is always good to have. We all realize we are playing for the Emerging Players team right now and our aim is to contribute to the team’s cause. However, playing for India is the ultimate aim of every cricketer and that is going to get the best out of us.

Considering the competition and playing conditions in Australia, do you think there will be a lot of emphasis on fielding?

Certainly! I think fielding is a vital aspect in every format of the game. I, for one, give a lot of importance to fielding. I’ve seen the guys over the last few days and I think we are a very good fielding side. Everyone is agile, upbeat and rearing to go.

In the last edition of the tournament, we didn’t make it to the finals. Do you think this team can take it one step further and win the title?

I think we have a side that has the potential to go on and win the tournament. And I have the confidence that we will return home victorious.