England tour was a bad dream - Sandeep Patil (14 Aug 1996)

14 August 1996

The England tour was a bad dream - Sandeep Patil

Our Cricket Corespondent

"The England tour was like a bad dream," team manager Sandeep Patil said in Madras on Wednesday. "It`s upto the team now to put everything behind them and turn a new leaf as we go into another competition in ten days` time."

Patil felt that India`s miserable performance in England owed to a combination of bad weather, injuries, umpiring and the Sidhu controversy. While observing the Indian squad for the Singer and Sahara tournaments practising at the M A Chidambaram Stadium in Madras, Patil said that such things were a part and parcel of cricket, and that the team had the ability to turn it around. here later today.

Patil indicated that fitness would be in focus at the camp, parrying a question wheather he thought the team really lacked it. The manager said that the BCCI had included for the camp two doc- tors from Bangalore, who would be joining the team later this afternoon and, along with phystotherapist Dr Ali Irani, subjecting the squad to a searching physical.

Patil said the 10-day preparatory camp would be in two sessions - from 0800 hrs to 1000 hrs, when the focus would be on fitness, and then a long session lasting for most of the rest of the day when fielding, and nets, would be the focus.

"I always look at the positive side," said Patil. "The team has to forget what happened in England, be ten times more positive now."

"We have to iron out our mistakes - in England we did not play to our potential," the Indian manager said.

Asked about Azharuddin`s adequacy or otherwise as captain, Patil said that the former Indian skipper was merely experiencing one of those eternal truisms of Indian cricketing life. "Here, life has more downs than ups," the India manager said. "It is unfortunate that Azhar, who the last time round was man of the series in England, did not find his touch this time. It is good that Azhar is relieved of the pressures of captaincy. He is an artiste with the bat, he still has a lot of cricket left in him," Patil observed.

Patil, however, did not want to elaborate on the Sidhu episode, pointing out that the enquiry committee had gone into it, delivered a verdict and there was nothing more for him to say on the matter.

Referring to the youthfulness of the present squad in which Azhar, at 33 years of age, is at least six years older than the next senior member, Patil said that it would be difficult to say whether this team would form the nucleus of the future. "It is too early to comment on this," Patil said. "Sachin Tendulkar, and the side, have to settle down," he said.

Asked whether the fact that Karnataka`s contribution of six players to the national squad indicated that there was more talent in that state at the grassroots level, Patil said, "This is not necessarily so. What is important is that talent is emerging. I don`t mind even if every player in the squad is from a particular state. If a player is good, he is good, that is all there is to be said!"

Asked about the team`s bowling strength in the wake of its showing on the tour to England, Patil said it was unfortunate that Anil (Kumble) had a rough time on the tour. "But he has enough ex- perience behind him. He will come back to his best. As for whether we will rely on spin or pace in Sri Lanka, it is too early to say. I expect," he added, "that the wickets there will be a lot like the ones we have here in India."

Patil said the presence of Anshuman Gaekwad, one of the selectors, and chairman of the selectors G R Vishwanath at the camp on the last five days would be good for the team. "The players can sort out any problem which may crop up face to face," he pointed out.

Source :: Rediff On The NeT (https://www.rediff.co.in)