Sport - Cricket

‘You have to just aim for a win’

HYDERABAD: Dave Whatmore feels that his role in the National Cricket Academy and now as the India ‘A’ coach is more a developmental function — to provide correct information to the concerned authorities about his experience of handling various players and about the Academy.

Speaking on the sidelines of a practice session at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium (Uppal) here on Sunday, Whatmore said that for him any task — be it as coach of a national team or an under-19 team — is always a big challenge and the ultimate goal is to go for a win.

“It doesn’t matter at what level you are playing. You have to just aim for a win,” he said. “When some Test matches are won inside three days, we can also look at the possibility of winning the three-day match against the Australia ‘A’ here (starting on September 9),” he said. Whatmore praised the chief curator Y.L. Chandrasekhar for preparing what he believes to be a very “good pitch which looks hard.”

“I feel that there is abundance of talent in the subcontinent, more so in India because of so many young players taking to the sport. That is why I feel that the NCA is a wonderful place to work where all sorts of individuals — from youngsters to the established stars — hone their skills, improve their fitness levels and also learn to cope with injuries,” said remarked Whatmore.

The Australian refused to name anyone who could make the higher grade. “I have never individualised. All should be capable of moving up if they complement their desire with the required hard work and commitment,” he said.

Meanwhile, Hyderabad Cricket Association Secretary N. Shivlal Yadav stated that the BCCI had allotted three matches of the tri-nation series featuring the ‘A’ teams from India, Australia and New Zealand to Hyderabad.

Australia will be taking on New Zealand on September 15, India will meet Australia on September 16 and India and New Zealand will clash on September 17.

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