• The parents play an important role in building their children’s future. – Kapil Dev

  • I keep a diary with me. Something I think is important, I jot it down. – Unmukt Chand

  • Captaincy off the field is as important as captaincy on the park. – Ted Dexter

  • Happiness is nothing but satisfaction – satisfaction through work, thoughts and accomplishing our mission and vision. – P.T.Usha

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Interviews at NCA

Interview with Mr. Cheteshwar Pujara
 
Cheteshwar Pujara
 

Q1. Cheteshwar, could you tell how and when did you first start playing cricket?

Ans. I have been fond of this game since my childhood and I used to play with a plastic bat at the age of 5. I started learning cricket at the age of 8 and I played my first game for the state (Under 14) team at the age of 12.

Q2. Tell us a little about your early formative years in Rajkot?

Ans. I enjoyed my childhood cricket in Rajkot and I used to go for practice twice a day. I also used to attend school in the afternoon so I used to practice in the morning and then the second session was after school in the evening. I still remember rushing back from school and changing quickly so as to reach the ground before it gets dark.

Q3. You have spent many summers at Zonal Academies and the NCA. How do you think these programmes helped mould your career?

Ans. It has helped me a lot. Meeting different coaches and practicing against different bowlers and on different wickets gave me exposure and experience at a young age. I also enjoyed my training at a young age but I understood the importance of training only after my first knee surgery.

Q4. In your career you have had many injuries. How have you coped with them and bounced back each time?

Ans. One has to be mentally tough to come back after an injury. Doing rehab is the most important thing for an injured athlete. Despite knowing the importance of rehab, at times you don't feel like doing it as it is less intensive in nature. But that’s when your mental toughness comes into play. Starting to bat after an injury is also very difficult. As a batsman I found I often lost my rhythm completely and I had to go back to my basics. Playing a few club games helped me get back my rhythm.

Q5. As a cricketer you are known for being mentally very tough. How have you developed the mental aspect of you game?

Ans. It comes from my routine. I live a peaceful life and try and reduce my thoughts or maybe I don't involve myself in unnecessary things. Taking challenges in cricket as well as guidance of my family has helped me a lot. I always stay positive in the worst situations.

Q6. What are your immediate goals and what are you doing to achieve them?

Ans. Recently I started thinking of improving myself rather than setting goals. I believe setting goals that have to be achieved puts me under extra pressure. I set my target according to the present situation and by learning from my past. I believe in working on a day to day basis and plan for the next day at the end of each day.

Q7. Any message for budding cricketers of tomorrow?

Ans. I would like to say to young cricketers to work hard in the right way. Know your strengths and weaknesses and then plan your skills and training accordingly.

Interview with Anju Jain
 
Anju Jain
 

Q1. You have been coaching the national women’s team for over a year now, how do you feel the team has evolved in the last year?

Ans. Since the time I have taken over, there has been lot of changes in the side. As a coach foremost task was to make them play as a unit, stay confident and positive at all times. We have managed to achieve it to a great extent and all the senior players have contributed to it. As a unit, we have definitely improved on our fitness level and have also gain a lot skill-wise. Everybody is putting a lot of effort and hard work to make this unit a force to reckon with.

Q2. What are the special preparations you and your support staff have made for the upcoming World Cup in Sri Lanka?

Ans. We have worked a lot on the fitness level of the girls. We expect the weather there to be hot and humid and have made a lot of effort to keep the players fit and ready to play under these conditions. Fielding is another aspect which we have worked upon with the players.

Q3. As a coach how do you view your role in the team?

Ans. As a coach, my role is to support the team and help them prepare in the best possible way for the matches. I work with each player and help them polish their skills so that they remain in the best of touch. Additionally, I have to make sure that the moral of the team stays high and there is good flow of positive energy among the players.

Q4. What do you think is the future of Women’s Cricket in the country?

Ans. Future of Women’s Cricket is good. We have lots of exciting young players coming into the ranks. They have great potential to make a mark in a bigger arena. BCCI has been very supportive towards Women Cricket. They have provided lot of support and first-class facilities for the Women’s Cricketer. It’s time we perform well and I am sure this sport will grow in this country.

Q5. How has women’s cricket changed since the days you were playing for India?

Ans. The game has changed a lot. It has become more fast-paced, fitness level requirement has gone up, and more opportunities have come for the players. Good infrastructure and facilities have further help in its growth. I am sure with a little more coverage of these games, we can achieve a lot.

Q6. Any special message for upcoming cricketers of the country?

Ans. Hard work is the key. There is no short-cut. Just follow your passion to the fullest and try to enjoy whatever you do.

Interview with Mr. Lalchand Rajput
 
Lalchand Rajput
 
Q1. As a senior coach at the Specialist Academy for Batsmen, what do you feel about the talent pool available in the country?
 
Ans. The talent we have is in abundance and few batsmen who have visited the specialized batting academy showed lots of promise and character to be the best in business.
 
Q2. Mr. Rajput, what are the common problems that budding Indian batsmen are facing?
 
Ans. If you look at the junior level, especially u-19, u-16 and u-14 is the usage of heavy bats, which means they use bottom hand very predominantly and secondly they are more in to power than timing.
 
Q3. There is a perception that Indian batsman are susceptible to short rising deliveries. What measures do you suggest to help overcome this problem in future generations?
 
Ans. I don’t agree with this, batsmen all over the world are always susceptible to the short balls. There are only select few who negotiate it very well hence we cannot say that Indians are susceptible to short balls. We at the academy make the batsmen to play lots of short pitch bowling and work on them how to negotiate it from the junior level.
 
Q4. Can you name some of the inspiring innings that you have witnessed by Indian batsmen during your stint as the Cricket Manager of Team India?
 
Ans. I had the privilege of watching some of the brilliant innings during my tenure with the Indian team---to name a few, Yuvraj’s six sixes during the T20 world cup, Saurav Ganguly’s double hundred against Pakistan at Bangalore and also Yuvrajs 150 odd in the same match, Sachin Tendulkar’s 150 odd at Sydney test, Sehwag’s 150 odd in the last test at Adelaide to save the test match in the second innings. Rahul Dravid’s 93 and Sachin’s 71 in the first innings and Laxman’s 79 in the second innings in the Perth test which we won.
 
Q5. Finally, what message do you have for young batsmen in the country?
 
Ans. They have to focus on the 3 D’s—that is Desire, Dedication and Discipline. Most of the youngsters are choosing the IPL to become superstars which is a short term goal instead opt for long term goal and work on the skills part to be strong on basics so that they can adopt and perform in all forms of the game. They should not look for short cuts.
Interview with Mithali Raj
 
Mithali Raj
 
Q.1. Mithali, it’s been a long time since you started playing this game. What made you take up the sport?
 
Ans. Well, as I was a lazy child my father belonging to an Air Force background wanted me to be disciplined and active and so he put me into this sport.
 
Q.2. What do you remember about your development years?  Who were your mentors?
 
Ans. My developmental years were hard work. I spent hours and hours perfecting my basics. There were no holidays or Sundays for me. My coach was a real tough task master. I had to report at the ground by 4.30 in the morning so that I could finish fitness training before sunrise in order to have more time for batting. All this definitely meant that I had to sleep early so all birthday parties, family functions, gatherings went unattended.  
 
Q.3. Did you face any opposition to playing cricket from your family or your school?
 
Ans. Fortunately I did not have to face opposition from my family or school. My  parents were extremely supportive. My father accompanied me to all my practice sessions to follow on my progress. My mother would give me an hour of hanging ball drill at home everyday religiously. Although my parents stressed on me doing well at school yet there was never any pressure from them upon me to get high grades. My alma-mater played a  pivotal  role in my success as a cricketer in allowing me to participate in all the competitive tournaments and regular training.
 
Q. 4. What has been the most memorable experience of your career?
 
Ans. There have been many memorable moments. The stand outs would be the WORLD RECORD of double hundred against England in England 2002. My knock of 91 not out v/s New Zealand in the semi finals of 2005 World Cup in South Africa which helped my team reach the finals of any world cup for the first time.
 
Q. 5. What are the new milestones you have targeted for yourself in the coming season?
 
Ans. To start with, a World Cup victory for sure. We came close in 2005 when we made it to the finals but unfortunately we did not win. To score more and more runs for my country, constantly challenge my fitness level and a series victory against New Zealand, England and Australia on their home turf are my other goals.
 
Q. 6. Any special advice to budding women cricketers in the country?
 
Ans. Success can always be achieved by years of toil and sweat but it is important to realise  that   in order to maintain success one will have to constantly raise the bar. 
Interview with Sandhya Agarwal, former Test player and currently Chairperson, Women's Senior Selection Committee
 
Sandhya Agarwal
 
Q.1. Madam, Women’s cricket has come a long way in the last few years.  Where do you think NCA can help in the development of Women cricketers in India?
 
Ans. With NCA taking up Women’s Cricket, a degree of professionalism, skill development and the value of Physical fitness right from grass root level has crept into Women’s Cricket.
 
Q.2. Do you think cricket is becoming more popular amongst girls in India?
 
Ans. Cricket has always been popular, but now with BCCI taking over, a financial and professional aspect has come in. More girls from Mofussil areas are taking it up and making it a career now. Parents are more interested in their child taking up this game.
 
Q.3. How do you view the standards of cricketers at the Zonal Academy Tournament?
 
Ans. It will take another 3 years for a total makeover but one can see the progress on the correct application of the skills.  Girl’s mindset has changed. It is the first & major step for their development in the right direction.
 
Q.4. Is there any department of the game that we are still lagging behind?
 
Ans. They are still lacking in fielding and running between the wickets which are a major part of the game.  Physical fitness should also improve. Fast Bowling has to be developed, Wicket Keeping also is a neglected area. We need to develop a large pool of players.
 
Q.5. What can be done to further improve the facilities for Women cricketers in India?
 
Ans. I think from the grass root level coaches should be in touch with all levels of coaches in a particular girls  development (Club coach, State Coach, Zone Coach & India Coach). A link should be created about the progress of each Cricketer.
 
BCCI/NCA should conduct U-16, U-19 Zone camps, Junior Cricket should be focused upon. It will be great if we have female Trainers, Physiotherapists, Video Analysts, and Scorers with Women Teams. 
Interview with Mr. B.Arun, Coach, Emerging Players Tournament, India

 
B Arun
 

Q.1:  As a coach of the emerging India team, what are your expectations from this tour?

Ans: This is an opportunity for the Indian Bench strength to discover themselves at the international level. This would prove to be a wonderful experience, a platform for them to work on areas that would help them to succeed at the highest level.

Q.2:  What goals have you set for yourself and your team to achieve in Australia?

Ans:  The challenge for me as a coach is to create an atmosphere which would help the players to bring out their best under trying circumstances. We have set definite process goals which we would adhere to at all times to achieve our objective.

Q.3: Is there any special preparation you are planning for the forthcoming tour?

Ans: Most of our players have prior experience of playing in those conditions; we have put their experience to good use in simulating the conditions during our camp here at the NCA. Our preparation has been pretty much specific to the demands.

Q.4: As the Head of the bowling unit of the NCA, what do you think of the bench strength for team India as far as fast bowlers are concerned?

Ans: There is abundant talent available. My challenge is to ensure that their talent is nurtured and is constantly monitored through a structured quality program which will develop good bowling mechanics. This would help them achieve their potential thereby creating a pool of fast bowlers ready to serve the country at any given point of time.

Q.5: Finally, what do you think is the future of spin bowling in India, keeping in mind we have been a powerhouse in world cricket in this department?

Ans:  In our vast country, there is no dearth for bowlers who can spin the ball. The challenge lies in helping these bowlers to master the art of various wrist positions at release. We are working on the basics without making any major changes in their style. With the kind of response the spinners have shown, I am sure we will continue to dominate in this area. The future looks bright..!!!

Interview with Chairman of the Junior National Selection Committee Abey Kuruvilla
Former India pace bowler and current Chairman of  the Junior National Selection Committee Abey Kuruvilla who has been intently watching the matches of various tournaments conducted by the NCA in Bangalore has words of advice for budding youth.
 
Kuruvilla speaks:
 
Q1: Are you Happy with the talent on display at these tournaments?
 
Ans: There is a lot of talent available, but it needs careful nurturing to help reach its potential.
 
Q2: Which are the areas where you find a need for  improvement?
 
Ans: Batting has been our traditional strength. We have good pacers on view too. We have to work on developing the spinners for better results.
 
Q3: What do you feel about the conduct of the tournament?  Any changes that you suggest in the format?
 
Ans: The tournament was conducted smoothly and efficiently. But the format can be a round robin among the 5 zonal  teams.
 
Q4: What are your plans to help us retain the Under 19 World Cup next year?
 
Ans: Boys need to be given plenty of matches over the next eight months to  play as a team. Some tours are also being planned .It will help us get the right combination.
 
Q5: Any Message to budding cricketers in the country?
 
Ans: Enjoy your cricket without thinking too much. Put your best foot forward and the results are bound to follow.