He expected a better deal from the Board

WAS HE bitter? A trifle because he expected a better deal from the Board. On the surface Aunshuman Gaekwad puts up a smile which, despite his best efforts, does not hide the wounds. Within he remains a man shattered.

``I don't have any disappointment barring perhaps not getting an extension to my term as a coach'' said Gaekwad as a matter of fact. ``I did fairly well in my first two years and was planning a few things after having come to know the boys well. Then I was asked to go. That was a disappointment.''

Gaekwad took over the responsibility from Madan Lal in September 1997 after the latter had done well by inspiring India to a 4-1 win against Pakistan in the Sahara Cup. Then, Gaekwad gave way to Kapil Dev in September last year.

How did he enjoy the designation of coach of the Indian team? It was a tag he did not agree with.

``How can you coach Test cricketers. You can't change their style or technique because of the habits formed over the years. You can make adjustments, polish their game and try and remove minor flaws if any. But you can't change their style and you certainly can't coach them. The basics are learnt at the junior and not Test level'', Gaekwad observed.

The most significant achievement of Gaekwad was his success in bringing the players together. ``It was a big task, getting the boys to care for each other. It is not easy to understand an individual. After playing so much cricket, all they need is guidance to improve. My job was to boost their confidence and get the best out of them. I don't remember anyone sulking or not talking to the other. The atmosphere in the dressing room was great.''

On the plus points in his career, Gaekwad pointed out ``there were plenty. Being a coach to such wonderful players was a great honour. We won quite a few tournaments and lost some matches narrowly. I can't remember many bad games. The fielding improved in my time and overall there was great camaraderie in the team. The team was like a family and the boys believed in helping each other.''

Was he hurt when he was removed and then offered the job for a short term even as the Board looked for a foreign coach? ``To be frank I was surprised. My initial reaction was not to accept the job because after being the coach for two years I was not keen to accept the responsibility for a short period. It might have conveyed the feeling that I was greedy for money. On second thoughts, I changed my mind because Indian cricket was going through a difficult period and I couldn't have let the boys down.''

Looking back, Gaekwad admitted that it was a difficult period when he took over. ``We were losing more matches than we were winning when I first took over. It was not different the second time when again the team was losing consistently. I got them to play to their potential and the team started winning again. The ICC Knockout tournament was fantastic and Sharjah was forgettable after the final. We won more matches this time.''

Gaekwad did not agree that the team which he guided for more than two years was good only at home. ``It is not correct to say that. We came close to winning on so many occasions. We need to be consistent'' he pointed out. What else? ``We must learn to finish the job. We tend to lose because we leave our job to the others. We certainly need to apply more and this feeling has to come from within.''

For a coach to be acknowledged and recognised, Gaekwad was of the opinion that much depended on the kind of team he handled. ``A coach is as good as the team. But then in our system where are the powers for a coach to achieve his goals. A coach should be allowed to put his foot down and take a decision of his own. At times a coach needs to take a few harsh decisions but we end up making compromises. We should make people answerable if we want results. I am sorry to say I didn't have much powers to take a few tough decisions.''

What was the aim of his job? Gaekwad was candid, ``to get the boys together. I wanted them to enjoy and fight together. I worked hard on this aspect of my job. We had a few quarrels but did not allow factionalism. I am proud of it.''

With John Wright having taken over Gaekwad was guarded when asked to assess the Indian coaches in comparison to those from abroad. ``What can I say. A lot depends on how you handle the team. Just because a foreign coach carries a lap-top that doesn't mean that he would be better than the Indians.''

Gaekwad wanted the supporters of Indian cricket to be patient with this team. ``Since we are building a team for the future we need to persist with the youngsters. Constant chopping and changing will not help anyone. We need to take care of the confidence of the people''.

What next? Gaekwad sounded relaxed. ``There are lots of things to do. My sons are playing cricket too and need my guidance. But I would love to be associated with the game in some capacity.''

VIJAY LOKAPALLY

New Delhi

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