Kapil Dev's stint as coach in 1999-2000

[Trichromatic]

Quote

Schism toughens Ganguly's job 

 SHYAM SUNDAR GHOSH
 STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE

CALCUTTA, Feb. 27. The decision of our national selectors to entrust
   Sourav Ganguly with the responsibility of leading the Indian team in
   the five one-day matches against South Africa and then in the
   triangular series at Sharjah was a foregone conclusion once Sachin
   Tendulkar decided to step down.
   Sourav was Sachins deputy when the team went to Australia. The
   selectors were left with no alternative. But a sizeable section of the
   media tried to project Ajay Jadeja as a strong contender for the job.
   However, those who have been following the prestige battle between the
   BCCI secretary, Mr JY Lele, on the one hand and the Kapil-Sachin duo
   on the other, know that it was Mr Lele who stood in the way of Jadejas
   selection for the Australian tour. He forced the player to appear for
   a medical test before his own doctor. It was Mr Lele who was
   vociferous about Jadejas lack of fitness right from the Guwahati match
   against New Zealand. When Srinath was flown into Delhi for the last
   match, the board secretary said that Jadeja had been deliberately
   concealing his injury. He vowed that he would see to it that Kapil Dev
   did not succeed in getting Jadeja in.
   So it was clear that Jadeja stood no chance as long as Mr Lele ruled
   the roost. The animosity between Mr Lele and Kapil Dev also played a
   part in preventing Jadejas elevation. Kapil Devs term as coach ends on
   30 September, 2001.
   Mr Lele told this correspondent that Tendulkar had been misguided by
   Kapil Dev, and he was shocked that Kapil fought verbal duels with Mr
   Chandu Borde, chairman of the selection committee, in Guwahati. It had
   been decided the previous night that after taking a look at the wicket
   on the day of the match, the selectors would meet again and announce
   the playing XI. But Tendulkar only spoke to Kapil before announcing
   the team. Later, when Mr Borde pointed this out to Sachin, the latter
   reminded him that it was the captains right to select the team. The
   controversy continued till the Indian team were picked for the
   Australia tour. The situation worsened when Nayan Mongia was sent
   back.
   The fight drags on. And Ganguly has been asked to take over the
   captaincy of a thoroughly demoralised lot for a 22-day span. Critics
   have highlighted Gangulys elevation to captaincy though for a very
   brief stint as a unique distinction for both Ganguly and Bengal.
   Ganguly was handed over the job on the day India suffered a
   humiliating defeat at home in a Test which ended on the third day. The
   decision not to ask Sourav to lead the team in the Asia Cup, scheduled
   to be played between 27 May and 5 June is also a surprising one since
   Sachin had been made captain for that period. The selectors have put
   Sourav on trial. If the coach can be appointed for a two-year period,
   why not the captain?
   Indian cricket today is at its nadir. We do not have more than three
   or four players who are guaranteed of their places in the squad.
   A plethora of questions flashes through our minds. Will Sourav be
   allowed to choose his eleven? Will he get co-operation from the
   selectors, his colleagues and the coach himself? Will he be able to
   bring to an end the shadow-boxing between Kapil Dev and Mr Lele?
   The day the team for the first Test was announced, Kapil did not
   attend the meeting and Tendulkar submitted his resignation. Mr Lele,
   however, pointed out that it was not mandatory for the coach to attend
   the meeting and the captain could only offer his suggestions.
   Indian cricket has been passing through turbulent times since Mr IS
   Bindra and Mr Jagmohan Dalmiya parted company. Politics has
   intensified. Neither of them misses an opportunity to have a dig at
   the other.
   Though Mr Dalmiya is now controlling the show and it is he who brought
   in Kapil, he had to support Mr Lele in his fight against Kapil only to
   retain his control over his own group.
   It would be hard for Ganguly to handle the present Indian team and
   unless Mr Lele or Kapil Dev is removed. Remarkable turnarounds in
   fortune are unlikely as ves ted interests continue to hold sway.

That's from 2000.

 

Did Kapil try to hide Jadeja's injury and created rift between team? 

[nevada]

Bigger question is why did he try to hide Jadeja's injury? He seemed very keen on having Jadeja in the team - why?

[Rightarmfast]

Kapil has always been vicious. His fights with Sunny are well known too. As a coach, I never really liked him. As far as I remember, he had specifically asked Srinath to bowl slower and not go all out even in Australia.

[sarcastic]

10 hours ago, Rightarmfast said:

Kapil has always been vicious. His fights with Sunny are well known too. As a coach, I never really liked him. As far as I remember, he had specifically asked Srinath to bowl slower and not go all out even in Australia.

REALLY????????? 

Why would he do that!!!

[Rightarmfast]

1 hour ago, sarcastic said:

REALLY????????? 

Why would he do that!!!

To maintain line and length. Kapil himself said that in interview

[Pollack]

On 03/11/2017 at 12:26 PM, Rightarmfast said:

Kapil has always been vicious. His fights with Sunny are well known too. As a coach, I never really liked him. As far as I remember, he had specifically asked Srinath to bowl slower and not go all out even in Australia.

It was the most sensible advice anyone can ever give to Srinath.

[maniac]

On 11/3/2017 at 2:56 AM, Rightarmfast said:

Kapil has always been vicious. His fights with Sunny are well known too. As a coach, I never really liked him. As far as I remember, he had specifically asked Srinath to bowl slower and not go all out even in Australia.

 I am sure Kapil knows a thing or two about bowling well in Australia....It’s probably out of context....Srinath’s length at times was almost Ishantesque...Looks good when in rhythm beats edges,gets bounce but no results.

[Trichromatic]

That was the time, when coach could try to get in player without even passing medical test, let alone fitness test.

[Ankit_sharma03]

5 minutes ago, Trichromatic said:

That was the time, when coach could try to get in player without even passing medical test, let alone fitness test.

fitness test was a joke till many yrs after that to 

How many times zak n nehra made comebacks immediately after injury under ganguly

RP singh in 2011 under came put of a cold box

[Ankit_sharma03]

On 11/3/2017 at 12:26 PM, Rightarmfast said:

 As far as I remember, he had specifically asked Srinath to bowl slower and not go all out even in Australia.

Wow this cud become an intersting debate

 

Kapil advise to srinath- bowl slower

Vs 

Imran advise to wasim when he struggling with no ball- bowl as fast as possible 

[rtmohanlal]

On 11/3/2017 at 12:26 PM, Rightarmfast said:

Kapil has always been vicious. His fights with Sunny are well known too. As a coach, I never really liked him. As far as I remember, he had specifically asked Srinath to bowl slower and not go all out even in Australia.

who  better than Kapil to give advice w.r.t how to bowl in AUS?????? Kapil was a monster in AUS. So having known the amount of  natural  bounce in AUS pitches , it is only sensible that Kapil advised that way.

[rkt.india]

14 minutes ago, rtmohanlal said:

who  better than Kapil to give advice w.r.t how to bowl in AUS?????? Kapil was a monster in AUS. So having known the amount of  natural  bounce in AUS pitches , it is only sensible that Kapil advised that way.

Srinath and Kapil both were different type bowlers. What worked Kapil would not necessarily work for Srinath.  A lot of highly successful cricketers fail to understand that.  

[putrevus]

24 minutes ago, rkt.india said:

Srinath and Kapil both were different type bowlers. What worked Kapil would not necessarily work for Srinath.  A lot of highly successful cricketers fail to understand that.  

Srinath was proving very expensive and was leaking runs and losing all the pressure which was created by Kapil and Prabhakar.So how is his advise to Srinath to focus on line length wrong. 

 

Don't you think Kapil Dev as a bowler did not understand what were the differences between him and Srinath.

Until Srinath started pitching further up than his natural length he did not start to get wickets.That is what Kapil was suggesting, it is easy to blame the person who is giving advice.

 

Edited June 20, 2018 by putrevus

[rkt.india]

3 minutes ago, putrevus said:

Srinath was proving very expensive and was leaking runs and losing all the pressure which was created by Kapil and Prabhakar.So how is his advise to Srinath to focus on line length wrong. 

 

Don't you think Kapil Dev as a bowler did not understand what were the differences between him and Srinath.

Until Srinath started pitching further up than his natural length he did not start to get wickets.That is what Kapil was suggesting, it is easy to blame the person who is giving advice.

 

Pitching up does not mean it would suddenly work for Srinath.  Such things do not miraculously change during a game.  

[putrevus]

6 hours ago, Ankit_sharma03 said:

fitness test was a joke till many yrs after that to 

How many times zak n nehra made comebacks immediately after injury under ganguly

RP singh in 2011 under came put of a cold box

Jadeja was one of finest athletes in the team, he and Azhar were the best fielders in 1990s.

[putrevus]

Just now, rkt.india said:

Pitching up does not mean it would suddenly work for Srinath.  Such things do not miraculously change during a game.  

Don't you think that part is not known to Kapil. There is a reason why he asked Srinath to slow down, he was bowling short and wide and with his action he was going for plenty especially in that 1991 tour.Srinath himself admitted it took him years before he learnt to pitch a yard up which was all he needed, that Yard. Don't blame Kapil for inadequacies of Srinath.

[rkt.india]

6 minutes ago, putrevus said:

Don't you think that part is not known to Kapil. There is a reason why he asked Srinath to slow down, he was bowling short and wide and with his action he was going for plenty especially in that 1991 tour.Srinath himself admitted it took him years before he learnt to pitch a yard up which was all he needed, that Yard. Don't blame Kapil for inadequacies of Srinath.

Short is not a problem if directed well.  problem is being wide.  Regarding bold point, yes, Kapil might not have realized this.  It does not happen with great players because those things come easy to them and may not be for others especially youngsters.  When many times when Sehwag batted, batting looked so easy and when others came, it suddenly looked hard to score. Sometimes great players do not realize that things seem easy to them how difficult are those for others.     

 

What happened to Irfan Pathan is a great example how Wasim Akram's advice of crooked-thumb grip ruined his bowling.  Wasim could bowl with crooked-thumb grip because he was stronger and had natural pace and could still have accuracy. Irfan could not do that.  He lost pace with that grip and by then he realized it, it was too late for him.  

[putrevus]

37 minutes ago, rkt.india said:

Short is not a problem if directed well.  problem is being wide.  Regarding bold point, yes, Kapil might not have realized this.  It does not happen with great players because those things come easy to them and may not be for others especially youngsters.  When many times when Sehwag batted, batting looked so easy and when others came, it suddenly looked hard to score. Sometimes great players do not realize that things seem easy to them how difficult are those for others.     

 

What happened to Irfan Pathan is a great example how Wasim Akram's advice of crooked-thumb grip ruined his bowling.  Wasim could bowl with crooked-thumb grip because he was stronger and had natural pace and could still have accuracy. Irfan could not do that.  He lost pace with that grip and by then he realized it, it was too late for him.  

Short is a very big problem if it is wide, and Which Srinath was doing as a youngster  making his debut in Australia in 1991. It was a perfectly legitimate advice to Srinath to slow down and concentrate on line and length.

People who were quoting Wasim Akram being asked to bowl faster that was in 1992 seven years after Akram made his debut.

 

Akram was a success  even without Imran.Imran gets lot of publicity as a mentor for Akram and Waqar. What was Imran doing with Azeem Hafeez, Jalaluddin, Tahir Naqash es of the world where did his mentor ship go then.

 

Waqar made his debut in 1989 and Imran was hardly playing then and was semi retired.Waqar himself said he knew reverse swing was even before he joined the team but just didn't knew what to call it.

 

Wasim and Waqar were so talented and so hungry to succeed they would have done even without Imran, having Imran didn't hurt though.Akram himself told many times he would ask questions to every great fast bowler he met, he sought advice from Kapil on how to swing the ball too.

Edited June 20, 2018 by putrevus

[Vilander]

54 minutes ago, putrevus said:

It was a perfectly legitimate advice to Srinath to slow down and concentrate on line and length

its perfect to advice focus on line and length not perfect to advice a slow down.

[putrevus]

2 minutes ago, Vilander said:

its perfect to advice focus on line and length not perfect to advice a slow down.

As a youngster speed of the game and talent level you face at international level is different, So people are interpreting that since Kapil Dev asked Srinath to focus on Line and Length it automatically meant he needs to slow down. 

 

This is what Waqar says what he was told  when he was starting out and what he thought about Srinath

We were just told "Aage phainkon, dande udaaon.

 

 Javagal Srinath, who bowled a similar length as Ishant throughout his career. With his body and the momentum he generated through his run-up, Srinath should have taken a lot of wickets, but he did not pitch the ball up. Venkatesh Prasad, with limited ability, pitched it up and did well.

 

It does not take rocket scientist to advise to Srinath to pitch further up , if Srinath was unable to do that and constantly beating the bat , anyone would advise to slow down and pitch ball further up.