da premier bet： Graham Ford’s things to do list

da spicy bet： Siddhartha Vaidyanathan10-Jun-2007

Graham Ford (left) and John Emburey in Chennai: ‘Phew, have a busy few months ahead of me Embers…how about you?’ ‘Nah…not so much’ © AFP
Enter low-profile, stay low-profile
When Ford’s name was first linked to India’s coaching job one boardadministrator said in half-jest: “Who is this Ford? Next you’ll say Ferrari,Mercedes and Toyota.” Ford must take full advantage of his relativeanonymity and try, as much as he possibly can, to stay low-key. After thetumultuous Chappell era, when the focus often shifted from the players tothe coach, Indian cricket is in need of a backroom worker, someone whocan push rather than pull. Taking a cue from Wright, India’s firstforeign coach who was remarkably inconspicuous for most of his tenure,might be a good way to start.Getting the best out of the seniors
Some have termed them Dad’s army: watch them play and it’s more like theGeriatrics Club of India. The team comprises men who are staring at retirement but Ford’s best option is to get the maximum out ofthem. India’s first-class system isn’t exactly brimming with exceptionallytalented youngsters and those like Suresh Raina who’ve been given achance have stood exposed. Ford’s biggest challenge will be the senior batsmen, something that Chappell, despite his good record coaching some of the younger players, couldn’t achieve for a sustained period of time. Ford is said to possess a”technical eye” and comes with a hard-nosed reputation, factors that could go a long way in extracting the best out of great batsmen in their twilight years.Balancing complacency and insecurity
Wright’s final year as coach saw a number of established names take theirspots for granted and make the cut despite some woeful performances.Chappell’s tenure was characterised by a rash of insecurity, with playersunsure of when the axe would fall – what began as ‘Perform or Perish’ endedup, as with Mohammad Kaif in Kuala Lumpur, ‘Perform Perish’. Ford, captain Rahul Dravid and chief selectorDilip Vengsarkar need to find a balance – gauging how long a rope can beafforded to each individual.Basics please
Whether he adopts rolling camps or conducts sessions at the army paratroopcentre, Ford must device a method to sort out the basics. He must get thebatsmen to run better between wickets; hammer it into them that taking theshortest route helps and stressing the importance of groundingtheir bats; he must get India to stop a few more runs on the field andsomehow put in place an efficient slip cordon that holds more than asieve; he must also unearth a couple of good close-in catchers. It wouldhelp if he has a word with his countryman, Adrian Le Roux, the formertrainer who some Indian players still swear by. Andrew Leipus, the formerphysio who’s always ready to help, could also be another useful soundingboard.

This man wouldn’t mind some pressure being taken off his shoulders © AFP
Taking a load off Dravid
Dravid’s job was, no doubt, made harder by a domineering coach and it’simportant that Ford plays facilitator rather than doer. He needs to play abig role in the internal dynamics of man management and the daily mediastress test that the team is put through. Wright did that wonderfully,despite having his differences with Ganguly; Chappell struggled and hisdominant personality didn’t endear itself to many of the players.Earning the players’ trust
“Now that we’ve experienced Chappell, we’re ready for anyone”. Thisstatement, from a member of the team, reflects the loss of trust in thecoach who was tactless in his off-the-record briefings to the media.Ford will no doubt face frustrations but coaching through the media isfraught with danger, especially when you’re riling your own players.Earning the confidence of the players – the same players largely responsiblefor his appointment – will be vital.No immediate revolution
No one doubts Indian cricket needs a drastic overhaul but trying to instigatean immediate revolution could lead to further trouble. Chappell tried tocreate order from chaos but plunged into it well beforehe’d proven his coaching credentials. Ford comes in with a fine record ascoach but he needs to establish himself as the right man for the job. Hispersonality doesn’t suggest he will spark off any major change in theoverall functioning of Indian cricket but if he chooses to do so, he mustwait for the right time before striking.