Date:10/08/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/08/10/stories/2007081057952100.htm

Sport

It is some reward for hard work: Rajput

S. Dinakar

— FILE Photo: V. Ganesan

Lalchand Rajput.

Chennai: Lalchand Rajput is delighted about his appointment as India’s manager for the Twenty20 World Cup to be held in South Africa.

Speaking to The Hindu from Kandy, Rajput said: “it is some reward for the hard work that I have put in over the years. It is also a great challenge in a new format. We have a young side, and the fielding and the running betwee n the wickets are bound to be good. The game can be very fast in Twenty20 and we will have to think and act quickly. ”

Presently, Rajput is in Sri Lanka as the coach of the India under-19 team.

The side emerged victorious in the three-nation one-day competition, which also featured the host and Bangladesh, and then outplayed Sri Lanka by 182 runs in the first ‘Test’ in Colombo. And the Indian boys have made an excellent start to the second and final ‘Test’ in Kandy.

“This has been a heartening tour. There have been so many positives,” says Rajput. The young cricketers, he points out, are evolving technically and temperamentally.

“Virat Kohli made a match-winning century under immense pressure in the first Test. We were five down for little. Skipper Tanmay Srivastav has worked on his footwork. He hates getting out, is mentally strong and has the strokes. I told Abhinav Mukund, a left-hander, to improve his shot-selection and he has responded well.

Earlier, he was playing a lot square off the wicket, now he is driving the pacemen between mid-off and mid-on, which is excellent for an opener. The boys are learning to build an innings.”

Depth and options

Much focus has been on the spinners, with India seeking depth and options in this department. Rajput is pleased in the manner the two left-armers, Ravindra Jadeja and K.P. Appanna, have bowled on the tour.

Says Rajput: “Jadeja is making the transition from being a one-day bowler, to someone who can bowl effectively in the longer version. He has a useful arm ball and varies his pace well. His accuracy enables him create pressure.” The Indian coach adds, “Appanna likes to flight the ball, and he too has a good arm ball. He has the variations and can bowl long spells.”

Among the pace bowlers, Dhaval Kulkarni has caught the coach’s eye. “He was excellent in the first Test. He has a good outswinger and makes the batsmen play the new ball.”

In the one-day tournament, where India defeated Sri Lanka twice and Bangladesh thrice, including the win in the final, Abu Naseem was impressive. Over to Rajput: “He’s got a sling action and can generate sharp pace. He is a deceptive bowler. He sent down some excellent yorkers and also troubled the batsmen with some well-directed short pitched balls.”

Importantly, as Rajput points out, the youngsters have come together well as a unit. “They have been helping each other out. Sri Lanka is a strong side, particularly in bowling and fielding, but the boys have responded well to the challenge.”

Rajput believes India has the side to win the under-19 World Cup to be held in Malaysia, next February. The 45-year-old Rajput, a well-organised opening batsman during his playing days, made 32 and 61 on his Test debut against Sri Lanka in Colombo, 1985, failed in the next Test, again in Colombo, with scores of 0 and 12, and never played for India again.

He is now making up for lost time… as a coach. Under Rajput, the Indian under-19 team has achieved the double (Test and ODI series victories) in England, Pakistan and New Zealand and is all set to repeat the feat in Sri Lanka.