Pakistan: Ways to galvanise our cricket team
If cricket is known for its glorious uncertainties, our team is even more notorious for its unpredictability
Lt. Col (R) Shujaud-Din Butt
21-Feb-2000
If cricket is known for its glorious uncertainties,
our team is even more notorious for its unpredictability. In the
recent Test Series and One Day International Tri-Series in Australia
Pakistan's performance was simply pathetic. It is no disgrace to lose
against a team of the caliber of Australia but Pakistan was expected
to give a decent fight which never materialised.
Prior to the Tri-Series Pakistan lost all its warmup matches against
rather weak opposition which triggered off alarm bells regarding poor
team work and lack of unity and cohesiveness. But suddenly the trend
reversed and its performance improved considerably particularly
against India winning all but one game. But against the Aussies our
team proved to be fragile and even brittle.
There is indeed a need to analyse the reasons of our team's
inconsistency and unpredictability. In my opinion there are inherent
shortcomings which need to be set right sooner than later if we want
to develop into one of the top class contenders far the next World
Cup. Let's consider them as under:
Change of captaincy
Captain of a cricket team is like a field commander whose leadership
qualities have tremendous bearing on the team performance. Therefore
his appointment should be made after a great deal of deliberations.
Having done that, he should be accorded full backing or support of the
authorities and given sufficient time and opportunities to show his
worth and produce the desired results. But unfortunately this has not
been happening in our case. In fact we have become notorious for
constantly sacking or changing our captains. This policy, whatever be
the reasons, has caused immense harm to our performance as well as our
reputation for being unpredictable.
The sacking of Wasim Akram or castigating the team which reached the
finals in the last World Cup was indeed a sad reflection on Pakistan's
attitude towards defeat which surprised the entire cricketing
fraternity of the world for such a harsh, callous and unwanted
treatment of a team which peaked upto the finals in the last World
Cup. In fact the team deserved a hero's welcome.
Team revamping
Nowadays there is a constant clamour for a wholesale rebuilding of the
team. There may be some justification to make a few changes. But the
change must not be made for the sake of change. However, it should be
resorted to only where considered absolutely essential. Any senior
players who are in the twilight and are not performing upto their
usual potential consistently should be replaced if a better, young and
suitable replacement is readily available. It will be an exercise in
futility to keep changing the replacement. Besides, the changes should
be made in phases and not to indulge in a wholesale "slaughter,"
otherwise we would be faced with the similar situation as the current
West Indies under Brian Lara, or the 1962 Pakistan team which toured
England under Javed Burki. Just as Lara's team is faced with constant
humiliation and ignominy, Pakistan's new look team was simply
massacred in England.
Lack of discipline
Being a professional sport, cricket is played continuously. Therefore
physical fitness and mental tenacity for playing all the year has
assumed great importance. Regular and clean habits of hard work and
balanced diet and proper rest are essential ingredients for physical
efficiency and mental tenacity. In addition, there is a need for
disciplined batting, bowling and fielding to improve one's battle
worthiness and enhanced performance.
Disciplined batting means properly planned innings without losing
concentration; never to throw away one's wicket by playing frivolous
or extravagant shots or unduly chasing the moving or swinging "ball"
outside the off stump. Gone are the days when ODI Cricket was
considered wild slogging and slashing. In both the forms, the
occupation of the crease is still the supreme requirement. Quick
singles, doubles and three's interspersed with boundaries in a planned
manner, have put more demands on physical and mental robustness.
Disciplined bowling means greater emphasis on accuracy in line and
length while attacking the stumps to avoid being penalised for wide
balls (in ODI games) and to avoid wasting energy with wayward bowling
away from the stumps on either side of the stumps which allows the
batsman to settle down. Make the batsman play each ball is still the
golden rule while bowling accurately with good line and length,
strictly in accordance with the field placings is bound to bring
reward.
Similarly, fielding nowadays has acquired greater relevance
particularly with the introduction of the brief genre of the game. As
a result the standard of fielding has vastly improved particularly the
Australians and South Africans have attained superlative standards
leaving Pakistan miles behind. Ground fielding and catching ability
have been the bane of Pakistan team. Inconsistent batting among the
top order batsmen and wayward bowling are the other kinks which need
great attention. With proper coaching, constant practice and inherent
desire of our players to emulate the Australians and South Africans to
acquire excellence in fielding will make tremendous improvements and
consistency in Pakistan's overall performances. While on the subject
of fielding, the Coach must make positive efforts to bring about
improvement in the slow reflexes of our boys to enable them to show
better results in the slip positions and close-incatches.
Quality bowling has been Pakistan's forte since the early days,
particularly the fast bowling in which we have excelled
throughout. But this advantage has been compromised at times due to
wayward and short pitch bowling as well as poor slip catching
ability. Determined hard work and constant practice with the help and
guidance of a coach, can go a long way to overcome this weakness.
Improvement of reflexes
Pakistan's preponderance of fast bowling is offset and neutralised due
to slips and close-in fielders who are sloppy with slow
reflexes. Unless fielding is considered as a vital independent
department like bowling and batting we will never be able to achieve
the high standards of fielding.
There are quite a few methods to bring about improvement in human
reflexes. There are innumerable exercise for the eyes and rapid body
movement which can bring about improvement in reflexes. Training
manuals contain graphic description of these exercises which could be
mastered through rigorous training rituals.
The latest technique to improve reflexes and body movement is called
REFLEXOLOGY or ZONAL THERAPY which calls for thorough rubbing or
massaging of the toes and the fingers regularly for about five to ten
minutes. After getting the initial guidelines the individual can do it
without the help of a masseur. However it is incumbent upon the
coach/trainer to develop and enhance the players physical fitness and
mental tenacity by using all the means and appliances. It will not
only help in improving their fielding but will also make them better
bowlers and more reliable batsmen.
To conclude, therefore, it is emphasised that if the PCB officials,
the players and the coach/trainer can put their act together in the
light of the above discussion, there is every possibility that the
team can become an efficient fielding, bowling and batting outfit and
finally develop into a more consistent and reliable team.