India’s below par performance in yesterday’s ODI against England had a few typical Indian traits: dropped catches, misfields, loose deliveries and poor running between the wickets. When you talk about poor running with respect to India, Sourav Ganguly’s name flashes first in the brains of many Indian cricket fans, myself included. Dada believes in hitting boundries, sixes; and takes a single once in a while. Unfortunately, when the fielding side does as well as England yesterday, this strategy seems to fail. More so, when the total you are chasing is high. This was evident yesterday, when on the one hand you the Englishmen backing-up way down the track just after the bowler’s backfoot landed during his delivery stride, Souravda refused to take a step forward even after the ball was delivered and this was true of the whole innings.
Making Dada take cheeky / quick singles, convert ones into two and so on, must be the most difficult of tasks for any coach / manager, and I sympathise with the poor souls. In way, though, I do not blame dada for this. The poor man has been run out and has ran out his partners so many times that may be he just tries to be super-careful. But we can’t let this continue, can we? Somethings gotta be done.
Here are a few of my humble suggestions to make this rather impossible task possible:
Threaten himTell him that Chappellda is making a comeback as the Indian coach, if he does not run properly ( this might make many other Indian players run helter-skelter screaming, though). If this does not work, try threatning him with the photo of Bhojwood* superstar, Nagma all over the stadium if he does not take singles or back-up.
Bribe him
Place a plate of his favourite Hyderabadi Biryani at the other end
Preserve his energy
Don’t make him field in the deep, especially on big grounds like Birmingham, like they did yesterday. This makes him lose vital energy which is not advisable for a man his age
This is all I could come up with as of now. If you have any suggestion(s), please feel free to share.
*a term coined by me in the spirit of Bollywood, tollywood etc. for Bhojpuri films
Shown him Sivaji and other Rajini and Balakrishna films one after the other if he is involved in a run out
Kidnap his wife before every match.
Income tax raids every time he is involved in a run out.