The Hindu : Don't blame the wicketkeeper, says Kirmani

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 04, 2002

Sport

Sport - Cricket

Don't blame the wicketkeeper, says Kirmani

KOCHI, MARCH 3. A wicketkeeper who `grasses' more than he catches... a bowler's nightmare. Who is in the Indian team mainly for his batting and because he fits into the opener's slot. Clearly, Indian keeper Deep Dasgupta is an embarrassment behind the stumps.

But don't blame the keeper, says wicketkeeping great Syed Kirmani without referring to anybody in particular. ``You cannot blame a wicketkeeper, or for that matter any player, if he has not lived up to expectations. It's not his fault because every player does his best but within his limitations. I think I've made my point,'' said Kirmani, who was in Kochi on Sunday to launch the ticket sales of the March 13 Zimbabwe versus India one-dayer here.

``A wicketkeeper is the key player in any team. He should first be a keeper whose batting is a bonus and not the other way round. Because a keeper is the best person who can help the bowlers, the captain and the entire team. He is in a good position to identify a team's strengths and weaknesses,'' said Kirmani.

On having different wicketkeepers for Tests and one- dayers, he said: ``Opinions differ. But I feel that a keeper who can keep for five days can also be good for a one-dayer. I don't agree with this experiment of having different men for the two versions. If a keeper is selected for a Test and not picked for a one-dayer, he could get demoralised. And, there should be two wicketkeepers in a team at all times, only then can they be groomed properly.''

Among the current lot, Ajay Ratra has impressed Kirmani. ``He is good. And he has been in the Indian team right from the junior age-groups, in the under-16 and also in the under-19 World Cup side,'' said Kirmani, who was one of the world's best wicketkeepers in his heyday.

Asked if Nayan Mongia could be given one more chance, Kirmani said, ``if Mongia could be given one more chance, I could also be given another chance. If you're looking towards the future, you should be consistently looking ahead, not backwards.

He had a word of praise for Tinu Yohannan and Kerala's young keeper Mauzzam Nathani.

``Tinu has all the credentials to do well, only thing, he should be consistent. He should turn into a crucial member of the Indian team. And Mauzzam Nathani has a good future. Last year at the NCA's zonal camp in Chennai, there were three keepers who were very good. One of them was Nathani,'' he said.

- Our Sports Reporter

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