The Indians sometimes appear so soft and laidback that they get threatened by the aggressiveness of the Australians and South Africans. Chappell knows all about being hard and tough.
It is important that I begin with coach Greg Chappell and how central hewould be for India's plans in the forthcoming series. I might lose a few Indianfriends in the process but that's besides the point. The team must look more andmore up to him to guide them through this tough tour.
Chappell has got it in him to mentally prepare this Indian team for theaggression which would come from the South Africans. We all know his backgroundand we all know how the Aussies think. Being a typical Australian, it's in-builtin him to be hard and tough.
Let's accept it, despite a few notable wins abroad in this decade, theIndians have never been good travellers. They sometimes appear so soft andlaidback that they get threatened by the aggressiveness of the Australians andSouth Africans. If the players do not get rid of that attitude, they are goingto get a hiding wherever they go. It's just going to carry on and on.
That is why I feel Chappell has a big role to play. He knows all about beinghard and tough. I think if he instills that attitude then the Indians can beatany side away from home. They have that sort of players in their ranks. He couldteach the lads how they should never take a step backwards.
I have been amused by all the criticism which has come his way and on hisexperiments. Knowing how the Australians think, I feel he has been trying totake a few of the Indians out of their comfort zone, those cricketers who werehappy with what they were performing and were not willing to go the extra mile.
Chappell's experiments must have been intended to make the cricketers thinkon their feet. The softness and the shyness of the Indian cricketers, lookingfrom outside and looking in, that's what perhaps he has been trying the Indiansto get rid of.
Giving this belief a logical extension, I feel it is important that thecaptain must buy into the coach's thinking. It is paramount. I have played undera few of the very best captains and coaches of the world and they all tended tolead from the front. Starting with Kepler Wessels and Hansie Cronje and knowingwhat influence Bob Woolmer had on all of us, I am saying this from experience.
Even though Rahul Dravid has appeared a laidback sort of character to me, weSouth Africans rate him very, very highly. He is one guy we used to discuss inteam meetings a lot because he always does well in South Africa. He just valueshis wicket so highly. So if that's Chappell's plan then Dravid must relay thisto his team quickly. There's little doubt in my mind that this tour is going tobe very tough for him.
When we come from India, we always promise ourselves that they would find ita very different story in South Africa. I don't expect anything less this timearound. I think South Africa would be very aggressive. I don't think they wouldprepare green pitches. The strips in any case have been good, perhaps too goodin the last four-five years. One thing South Africa might like to ensure is thatthe pitches are not too perfect and right up India's street.
They would be very aggressive but it's how they channel that aggression whichwould be important. They must learn to be patient. I think the South Africanbowling, in the last year and half, has not shown that kind of patience.Sometimes the skill factor has also let them down. They have depended tooheavily and hard on Shaun Pollock and Makhaya Ntini.
As for the Indian bowlers, they all can swing and that's going to be a testfor the South Africans. Especially, the new-ball pairing. I am not so sure aboutZaheer Khan at the moment as he still looks to be trying to find his feet. He iscertainly not the Zaheer Khan I know. Still, he has got great control and heswings it late.
Sreesanth has got lovely action, and he looks a hungry cricketer, a cricketerwho could go a long way in the future. He seems to enjoy his cricket and appearsvery nice and uncomplicated. He has an injury-free action and I am veryimpressed by him.
Looking at these men in blue in Benoni on Thursday, I feel if they can firein the five one-dayers and Tests, then South Africa is going to look out.
PTI