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Coachless India still winning


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India fielding chief Robin Singh says the team is coping just fine without a coach More... Coachless India still winning shim.gif shim.gif shim.gif tendulkar_laugh_d.jpg Jun 24, 2007 India fielding chief Robin Singh says the team is coping just fine without a coach. India beat Ireland by nine wickets in a one-day match at Stormont on Sunday as the search continued for a fulltime successor to Greg Chappell, who quit as coach following the team's failure to reach the second round of the World Cup. Singh said senior players such as former captain Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar were compensating for the lack of a coach. "We did the same thing in Bangladesh (where India won a two-match Test series 1-0 in May) and it worked pretty well," said former all-rounder Singh, who played 136 one-day internationals for India between 1989-2001. "We've planned pretty well. There is a good team and we have decided what we want to work on. "We have experienced players like Sourav and Sachin who will provide help, especially with the batting, but whatever we have we want to make the most of it." The Indians were left without a successor to Chappell after South African Graham Ford, a former Proteas chief, rejected an offer to replace the Australia batting great. The Board of Control for Cricket in India, in the absence of a coach, appointed former player Chandu Borde, 72, as manager for the tour of Ireland, Scotland and England. Several younger Indian players starred against Ireland today. Teenage leg-spinner Piyush Chawla took a careerbest 3-29, while 21-year-old left-arm quick Rudra Pratap Singh took 2-36 as Ireland were bowled out for 193. Ireland captain Trent Johnston hit 34 off 44 balls and Niall O'Brien scored 52. India, set a revised target of 171 in 39 overs to win after rain delayed the start of their reply, saw Tendulkar out to the sixth ball of the innings when he was bowled by Roger Whelan. But 25-year-old No.3 Gautam Gambhir responded to the situation by making a composed 80 not out in an unbroken stand of 162 with fellow left-hander Ganguly, unbeaten on 73. "It will be a long tour so it's important to start well," man-of-the-match Gambhir said. "It's not like in India where you can just go out there and play through the line of the ball. Sometimes you have to be a bit more patient and work the ball into the gaps in these conditions. "At this level it's all about being consistent and that's what I was lacking in the past and it's very important for me." India, not renowned for their fielding, took some smart catches today. "We did a lot of work in Bangalore on the fitness," said Singh. "The fitter the guys the better they will field. "These conditions were pretty cold but we fielded well in patches today, some didn't do so well, but overall some very good catches were taken. As long as the senior guys keep themselves fit they know what to do, but the emphasis is on the younger guys. India's tour continues with three more one-day internationals, all against South Africa, in Belfast on Tuesday, Friday and a week Sunday. They then play arch-rivals Pakistan in a one-dayer in Glasgow on July 3. But the bulk of their trip sees them playing three Tests and seven one-dayers against England from July 19 to September 8.

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The fielding in particular of Ganguly and Dravid was found wanting yesterday. In fact for the first time ever I thought Rahul was taking fielding a bit too easy. Similarly Ganguly was labouring in the outfield. As for no coach results goes, it's all good. Even I reckon the coach is not going to make any difference to a very experienced side. It does make a difference to a team where there are not more than 2 or 3 senior players.

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Judging by the highlights, the fielding was okay with some good catches being taken. Robin Singh will definitely improve the youngsters', but the seniors as always, will lag behind. But hey - if the selectors want to keep picking old farts, they have to compromise the team's performance in the field.

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The fielding in particular of Ganguly and Dravid was found wanting yesterday. In fact for the first time ever I thought Rahul was taking fielding a bit too easy. Similarly Ganguly was labouring in the outfield. As for no coach results goes, it's all good. Even I reckon the coach is not going to make any difference to a very experienced side. It does make a difference to a team where there are not more than 2 or 3 senior players.
Ravi, I disagree with the how important (or not) having a coach is for an Indian team (= experienced side). I think it is very important we have a "proper" full time permanent (PFTP) coach, whether we have SRT/SG/RD or not. Players have many things to concentrate on, and it is the coach who provides the oversight and mental/technical help. I have a feeling we are going to suffer during the long (June - Sep) stay in England without a PFTP coach for such an extensive tour.
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^ ROTFL. time to fire robin's a$$. useless fielding coach. we couldnt defend a very good total on a sluggish pitch. just compare the number of singles our guys took to the number of twos and threes the saffies took. maaro saaleko!!!

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