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The Harsha Bhogle Chat

SAX; DON'T NORMALLY WEAR HATS ! I WAS SURPRISED THAT AZHAR WAS DROPPED BECAUSE THIS WAS A ONE-DAY TOURNAMENT AND HE HASN'T REALLY FAILED AT ALL IN THIS VERSION. I BELIEVE THAT OVER 50 OVERS WE HAVE ONLY TWO MATCHWINNERS AND IF SACHIN FAILS, AZHAR HAS TO DELIVER. JADEJA AND ROBIN SINGH ARE HIGH QUALITY CAMEO PLAYERS. SO, YES, I WAS SURPRISED. HAD IT BEEN A TEST SERIES, I MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN THAT SURPRISED BECAUSE HIS RECORD HAS BEEN QUITE AVERAGE. BUT I THINK IT WAS BEYOND CRICKET ALONE, BEYOND THE NUMBER OF RUNS HE MADE, OR DIDN'T. IT REALLY IS SOMETHING THE CAPTAIN AND COACH KNOW BEST.

How thinking a captain is Sachin? Therr've been a lot of media reports critisising his field placements and rotating of bowlers - are they justified?

harsha>> Please answer my query about Azhar! Does he deserve a place in the current Indian team? If so, what role can he play with his current form of "enjoying" his batting and giving "lottery performances"?

Harsha, I think that lack of understanding between players and management undermines the team performance and this will again prove to be crucial next season. What do you think?

NB; WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE IN INDIAN CRICKET IS GREATER PASSION. I THINK THOUGH THAT OUR BIGGEST PROBLEM IS A WEAK BENCH. IN MODERN CRICKET YOU NEED 20 PEOPLE GOOD ENOUGH TO PLAY FOR YOU. NOT TEN OR ELEVEN AS WE DO. THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO REST AND RETURN RECHARGED. FOR EG. IN THE INDEPENDENCE CUP, PRASAD WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY HAPPY TO BE RESTED. BUT WE HAD NO REPLACEMENTS. AND IT DIDN'T HELP THAT WE EFFECTIVELY PICKED 12 AND NOT 14.

ASHOK: I AGREE THAT IS A VERY STRANGE ONE BECAUSE NORMALLY MOST CAPTAINS ARE EAGER TO WIN A TOSS, ESPECIALLY AT SHARJAH WHERE THE WICKETS ARE A BATTING PARADISE. I DON'T COMPREHEND THAT ONE AT ALL IF I WEAR A RATIONAL HAT. IF SOMEONE WANTS TO FIND MOTIVES IN IT, I FEAR THERE COULD BE SEVERAL, ESPECIALLY IN THE LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT HUGE AMOUNTS SEEM TO BE AT STAKE OVER THE TOSS.

Harsha,

harsha>> It was Prasad's fault, that he didn't drop himself. If a player is not mentally into the game, why play at all?? It would have been better if had sat out and given a chance to the likes of Harvinder singh or Obaid kamal. Anyway they would have not done as bad as Prasad ;-)

Harsha, yesterday Rahul Dravid was on Star news, he refused to comment whether the players lost because of over play?

Harsha, do you think the selectors have personal interests rather than the team's and nation's interests at heart? I mean some of the selections are beyond a joke.

RAJITHA; THE STORIES ABOUT INTERPERSONAL PROBLEMS STARTED TO COME OUT IN THE SECOND HALF OF AZHAR'S LEADERSHIP. THERE WAS NO TROUBLE EARLY ON. MAYBE SACHIN IS PASSING THROUGH THAT STAGE BUT THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT AS PERSONAL AMBITIONS COME INTO CONFLICT, THERE WILL BE THE ODD MISUNDERSTANDING. THE TRAGEDY IN INDIA IS THAT IT GETS FUELLED BY A PASSIONATE PUBLIC. DIFFERENCES EXIST EVERYWHERE BUT THEY DO NOT SEEM TO RECEIVE THE SAME ATTENTION.

Harsha, lots being said about the team of the future? Is this it? Without settled openers, a settled attack? If not, when do you see this "team of the future" materialising?

HB- Talk to us about Sachin, please where does he go from here?

KETAN; WHILE I WOULD NOT BE AS CATEGORICAL AS YOU, I BELIEVE THAT OUR SELECTORS HAVE A LOT OF ANSWERING TO DO. WHEN RAJ SINGH WAS CHAIRMAN, THERE WAS A CERTAIN TRANSPARENCY ABOUT THE SELECTION PROCESS WHICH WAS BENEFICIAL. NOW, WITH A CHAIRMAN WHO SAYS VERY LITTLE, PEOPLE ARE FREE TO DRAW THEIR OWN CONCLUSIONS. I BELIEVE WE HAVE HAD TWO VERY POOR SELECTIONS IN THE LAST TWELVE MONTHS. TAKING THREE QUICKS AND FOUR SPINNERS TO ENGLAND WAS VERY POOR JUDGEMENT AND TAKING THREE WICKETKEEPERS TO SOUTH AFRICA MEANT THAT THEY INVITED SUGGESTIONS OF BIAS. I BELIEVE THERE SHOULD BE GREATER TRANSPARENCY AND, IN THE CONTEXT OF THE OUTLOOK STORY, MEN WHO COMMAND RESPECT. REMEMBER, JUSTICE SHOULD ALSO BE SEEN TO BE DONE.

hai harsha , r u from hyderabad?

INCA:I CAN UNDERSTAND RAHUL NOT SAYING VERY MUCH. I DON'T THINK WE HAVE REACHED MATURITY LEVELS IN OUR CRICKET AS A WHOLE WHERE A PLAYER CAN VOICE A PERSONAL OPINION AND BE RESPECTED FOR IT. LOOK HOW STEVE WAUGH IS MAKING HIS POSITION CLEAR OVER THE TAYLOR AFFAIR. I DREAM OF THE DAY WHEN WE WILL REACH THAT STAGE.

SAX; THERE IS ONLY ONE PLACE THAT SACHIN GOES FROM HERE. BACK TO THE MIDDLE TO SCORE MORE HUNDREDS. THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF COMMENT ABOUT HIS CAPTAINCY. I THINK WE ARE BEING HASTY. HE HASN'T YET FINISHED A YEAR. CLEARLY HE HAS THE RESPECT OF THE PLAYERS AND IS THE BEST AMONG THEM. WHAT WORRIES ME IS THAT HE SEEMS TOO HYPER.HE GIVES YOU THE FEELING THAT HE CAN'T RELAX. BUT I THINK THAT WILL CHANGE WITH AGE. I THINK HE IS A GOOD CAPTAIN.

i am an ardent fan of azhar , so you are i suppose, and i am unhappy by the way he was treated by the selectors , what will u say regarding this?

harsha>> who do you think are next in line to make it to the indian team?

PAVAN; YES, THANK GOD !

Harsha, where do you think the improvements for the near future can be made? The selection committee or the management set up?

harsha, do you think azhar has still got the talent required to get into the indian team?

Steve waugh is a member of the tour selection board, which is why is opinion was solicited. I don't think players should be encouraged to shoot off their mouths-look at Sachin mourning the absence of "a genuine spinner", What was Kumble-broiled liver?

RAJITHA: TEAM OF THE NINETIES ? THEY ARE ALMOST GONE! YOU ARE RIGHT ABOUT NOT HAVING A PAIR OF OPENERS BUT IT DOESN'T HELP THAT WE HAVE TWO OPENERS IN ONE-DAY CRICKET WHO WILL NOT OPEN IN TEST MATCHES. SO, THE CHANCES FOR PURE OPENERS ARE A BIT LIMITED. BUT THAT IS OUR BIGGEST PROBLEM. IF THE OPENERS CAN, FAIRLY REGULARLY, PROVIDE A 50 RUN START, OR EVEN TAKE THE STING OFF THE NEW BALL, WE HAVE A FAIRLY SOLID MIDDLE. WE NOW HAVE AN OUTSTANDING NUMBER THREE AND WITH TENDULKAR AND GANGULY TO FOLLOW, THE BATTING LOOKS ALL RIGHT. THE BOWLING LOOKS A BIT BARE BECAUSE BEYOND THE CURRENT LOT, THERE ISN'T TOO MUCH. NOT ENOUGH PLAYERS ARE FIGHTING FOR PLACES.

Who do you see as the ones fighting for the openers' slot? And what do you think of the indian domestic scene?

harsha, at present where r u from?

KETAN; BOTH . AS I SAID WE NEED SELECTORS WHO CAN INSPIRE CONFIDENCE. MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE THEY SHOULD BE SEEN TO BE HONEST AND COMMITTED. WE ARE ALSO EXPERIENCING A COMPLETE MANAGEMENT FAILURE. WE DON'T SEEM TO HAVE A LONG TERM PLAN AND WE CERTAINLY DO NOT SEEM TO HAVE A DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME GOOD ENOUGH TO THROW UP TALENT. OUR CRICKETERS NEED TO BEBETTER MANAGED ON TOUR. SADLY, WE ARE THE WORLD'S WORST FIELDING SIDE AND A GOODMANAGER WOULD HAVE REALISED THAT YOU CANNOT ALWAYS WIN MATCHES WITH NO SUPPORT IN THE FIELD. ONLY RECENTLY ZAHEER ABBAS WAS TELLING ME THAT INPAKISTAN, THEY ARE TELLING COACHES TOCONCENTRATE ON FIELDING ALONE BECAUSE WITH THE TALENT THEY HAVE THEY CAN BECOME QUITE UNBEATABLE WITH A GOOD FIELDING SIDE. WE NEED TO DO THAT TOO. SUCCESSIVE MANAGERS HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO MUCH ONT HAT COUNT.

Do you think some senior players are required to guide the team -priya

Hi Harsha, can you predict the team of the future

I believe the management setup and the personnel are inadequate. Giving Madan Lal a laptop may mean moving with times but its no good if he doesn't know how to use this. I don't think he is very good analyser of the game. I saw him on TV during Windies tour, he seemed to be just siting down and moping. As for Ali Irani, less said the better after Srinath fiasco.

Harsha: Do you think that Sachin makes an able captain?

harsha> Why are u so pessimistic about the reserve talent? There is enough of talent- In batting we have sarath, Dharmani, Laxman, Mazumdar, Dani....- In bowling, Harvinder, ObaidKamal, Ganesh,Johnson etc all look promising. All they need is opportunities. It is better to try out these chaps rather than giving upteeen comebacks to kambli's and Manjrekars..

Harsha, Recently there has been a lot of talk about inviting a foreign coach for the Indian cricket team, Just like Sri Lanka. What do you think about that ? Is it really required ?

ARVIND; OUR DOMESTIC CRICKET ISN'T VERY HEALTHY. THERE ARE LOTS OF RUNS BEING MADE BUT BECAUSE THEY ARE MADE ON PLACID TRACKS AND AGAINST UNINSPIRED BOWLING, IT IS DIFFICULT TO ATTACH A VALUE TO THEM. THERE ARE A LOT O FPROSPECTS IN THE MIDDLE ORDER. AMOL MUZUMDAR HAS HAD A VERY GOOD DOMESTIC SEASON. IF VVS LAXMAN IS ALLOWED TO BECOME A MIDDLE ORDER BAT, WHICH IS WHAT HE IS, WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS PROSPECT. KAMBLI CAN HOPEFULLY COME GOOD. GAGAN KHODA HAS HAD SOME GOOD SCORES. I THINK HE SHOULD GET A BREAK IN SRI LANKA FOR THE TEST MATCHES. THEN THERE IS WASIM JAFFER WHO HAS IMPRESSED MOST PEOPLE. NOW, NONE OF THE PLAYERS I HAVE MENTIONED ARE OVER 25. THAT IS A FANTASTIC THOUGHT. BUT THERE ARE VERY BOWLERS BREAKING THROUGH. TOUGH TO DO SO WHEN THE RANJI TROPHY FINAL CANONLY PRODUCE 20 WICKETS OVER FIVE DAYS.

Harsha, what is it exactly about Jayasuriya that allows him to put any attack to the sword? Apart from his eyes and strength, does he possess genuine technique or is it hock after lucky hoick?

Ketan, agreed about MadanLal. We saw the Titan Cup match against Aus and while they were practising direct hits(they got everyone of them!!!), Madanlal wore knickers and took out our team for a jog around the field!!

Harsha, are you listening..what are Azhar's chances of getting back

KETAN: I THINK TOO MUCH IS MADE OF THE LAPTOP. ALL BOB WOOLMER USED IT FOR WAS TO ANALYSE WHERE THE RUNS WERE COMING FROM. IT ALLOWED HIM TO FIND OUT WHERE HIS BATSMEN WERE CRAMPED AND WEHRE HIS BOWLERS WERE STRAYING, IT IS REALLY A SIMPLE TOOL. JUST AN ANALYTICAL TOOL. IT DIDN'T WIN SOUTH AFRICA MATCHES AND IT DIDN'T MAKE BOB WOOLMER A BETTER COACH. BUT I AGREE MADAN LAL NEEDS TO PROVE THAT HE IS CONTEMPORARY AND HAS THE INTELLIGENCE TO COMMAND RESPECT WITHIN THE TEAM.

Harsha>> Saw your comment about runs by the tonne in domestic cricket... just curious, do you suppose this new initiative by the BCCI, of putting Kapil in charge of pitch preparation, will change that scenario?

Harsha, You might have covered this already..... What do you think will happen with the current team selection process. It certainly would be nice to have people who have substantial cricketing experience to be a selector. I also agree with P.Panicker and the team and Captain should have a more professional coach/advisor. Your thoughts?

BHAU; I WOULD LIKE TO BELIEVE AZHAR'S CHANCES ARE GOOD. BUT REMEMBER IT IS EASY FOR A SELECTOR NOT TO PICK HIM ONCE HE HAS ALREADY BEEN DROPPED. THE INERTIA HAS BEEN OVERCOME. I BELIEVE HE COULD PLAY FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS BUT ALL HIS CHALLENGERS ARE TEN YEARS YOUNGER WHICH DOENS'T MAKE THINGS EASIER.

pallavi>> i don't think i can exactly predict but we'll have to see the irani trophy and challenger cups. It's going to be a throw up between Sharath and Muzumdar for a middle order slot. Or even khurasia.

harsha> we have a few nicknames for our players at rsc to vent our frustration on their shabby performances: Madanlal- Drill master AjayJadeja - Holy Cow Kambli- BreakDancer(the way he bats against pace) Azhar- Lottery Nizam (for whenever he steps in to bat, it is a lottery situation)

ketan>> DrillMaster uses his laptop for solitaire, not to analyse :-)

Harsha>> Do you read thru rsc? Please tell our players to read it too. They can get a lot of valuable information from us "experts" ;-)

NIZAR; THE WHOLE IDEA OF HAVING AN OVERSEAS COACH IS VERY INTERESTING. I ASKED THIS QUESTION OF ARAVINDA DA SILVA DURING A SHOOT FOR INSIDE EDGE, A PROGRAMME WE DO FOR ESPN, AND HE SAID IT ELIMINATES BIAS BECAUSE ALL THAT AN OVERSEAS MAN WILL BE INTERESTED IN IS PERFORMANCE. HE WON'T BE BOTHERED ABOUT INTERNAL FACTORS. IT IS A VERY BRAVE THING TO SAY. I THINK THE INDIAN TEAM WOULD PROBABLY BENEFIT FROM A DIFFERENT MINDSET; A MORE WESTERN WORK ETHIC. WE DEFINITELY NEED A TRAINER. MY DREAM TEAM WOULD BE RAVI SHASTRI AS COACH AND A FOREIGN FITNESS TRAINER.

Hi Harsha..will we hear yu during the Sri Lanka tour?