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Dravid’s guidance and Raina’s experience helped, says Ind ‘A’ captain |
Chand, also mentioned that playing under the tutelage of Dravid has immensely helped the youngsters who are looking to claim a spot in the national team. He also added that getting an opportunity to play alongside senior players like Suresh Raina has not only contributed to the team’s success but also helped the players.
Shifting gears as he heads into the 2015-16 season of Ranji Trophy after the twin success under his belt, Chand is keen to play the big knocks and make his presence felt in the longer format of the game as well.
Excerpts from the interview:
Two back-to-back series wins would hold a lot of significance for you. How do you look at it?
Yes, it is good to have won back-to-back series and I got to learn a lot as well. It was a great outing and good competition. We got to play with good international sides so that was good exposure.
How do you look at leading the ‘A’ side?
It was really good. Lot of experience was shared while playing together. Everyone has already either played for the country or is there to (make their mark and) play for the country. That makes it easier because everyone knows their roles and it is more about managing. It is about the execution of skills. It was a good learning experience for me as well to be playing with Suresh Raina, Manustralia ‘A’ and South Africa ‘A’ in the Triangular series, his team walked away with the trophy. India ‘A’ then beat Bangladesh ‘A’ 2-1 in Bengaluru under the guidance of former India captain Rahul Dravid.
The 22 year-old, who led the Indian teaish (Pandey).
Once again you had an opportunity to work with Rahul Dravid, this time you as a captain and he the coach. What have been the gains?
He is a great person to have around. He keeps giving everyone lot of inputs. He is open, which helps me as a captain. He won’t force anything on me, will let me lead and is supportive. Having him around is very good for us. He is always there to give throw-downs to us during net sessions, keeps helping us and talking to us. Anyone can go up to him and ask him anything. He is always willing to share his experience. He is a great motivator. He is very involved, which is the best thing about him. During the match, the full 50 overs of batting or of fielding he is involved throughout looking at what’s happening and giving us various inputs during the match and after the match that’s a great thing happening for us. His presence has been helpful.
We have had a long term together, earlier in the IPL as part of the Rajasthan Royals and now with the India ‘A’ team. So he knows me and I also understand the way he functions that really helps. He is always discussing and listening to my opinions as well. Together with mutual agreement we work out how things need to be done. It’s been going on really well.
How would you assess your performances in the series?
Personally I am feeling good at the moment (with the wins). The big runs are eluding me at the moment but I am sure they will come. I am looking at the team’s cause and looking to contribute to it and build a platform where winning becomes second nature. Being an opener my role is to give a good start to the team and I am trying to do that. Putting a price on your wicket is always important.
How easily does leadership come to you?
I really have no answer for this. The thing is, I have been leading from a young age, so couple things have struck me and keep striking me at the right time. I think it is more about being flexible, working with your options and going with your instincts. It’s never about doing the same thing againand all the time evolving, using the knowledge as well as what’s happening in the game and trying to execute accordingly. For me, leadership is about trying to execute those skills and backing your instinct. Instincts never give you a wrong judgment and it is worked well for me.
What has been the key while leading the ‘A’ side?
Except Raina all the others I have played with or against in the domestic circuit, sometime or the other. So we know a bit about each other and the atmosphere is light. No one looks at you as junior or something, we are now playing in the senior circuit and competing for the same position.
Having Raina in the team (in the series against Bangladesh ‘A’) was really good. He is a superb person and very helpful. It didn’t feel like he has played so many ODIs and been with the Indian team for so long. He was like another player and a complete team player. He plays with the same intensity and gives his hundred percent. Whenever I went up to him he was always there to help. It is good playing with senior players. It has helped me immensely and made things easier for me.
How do you think you have evolved or grown as a captain since leading India U19 team?
Captaincy is something which can’t be measured. (However, during) U19 days I would be a bit furious if we lost matches or didn’t do well. Now I don’t get that furious, although at times you do get frustrated. You expect the opposition to do the silly thing but sometimes you end up doing the same. That is okay as long as you realise it. And at the ‘A’ level you tend not to repeat the mistakes. You don’t need to go and tell them that they are doing it wrong. It is more of self realization now; before it was more of someone going up to someone and probably telling them that they are doing something wrong and need to get it right and all those things. Now just a gentle reminder is enough.
I try to maintain an environment that makes everyone feel happy and at ease to perform their best. That’s the role. I don’t want to put my players under pressure or say anything which might hamper their performance. It is important to give them an environment which will help them perform at their best and that’s what I try to do, create a light atmosphere where everyone is helping each other but not at each other’s neck.
Who do you look up to and why when it comes to captaincy?
Never thought along those lines much, but of course I like MS Dhoni’s captaincy - the way he is always cool under pressure. I have not played with him but watched him on TV. The way he always takes responsibility. If the team doesn’t do well he takes the blame on himself and when it does well he is not shy of giving credit to the team. All these things make him really special.
What are areas that you are working on in your batting as the season commences?
Batting is something that one needs to keep looking at keep getting better and better at, the quest never ends. The key is also that now I am in a much better space than I was a couple of years back. I am not forcing anything over myself but looking at batting as art and trying to get the creativity back. You have to follow your instincts. It’s more about creativity and the more you try to force things on your batting it becomes difficult. It has to be free flowing according to me and that’s what I am trying to get it into my batting, play for the love of it and keep enjoying the way I hit the ball and see the ball.
How does it change from shorter format to the multi-day?
It’s a transition both in the batting and mentally. We know that demands of both formats of the game are different. You can hold yourself a bit in the Test matches but the basics remain the same. Again it’s about letting your instincts take over and keep playing. One has to have good strength and nerves. One has to keep batting, the love of batting comes more in Test matches because you have to play for long hours and you can feel the fatigue. The love of the game has to come forward and (that will) help you keep batting.
In the 2014-15 Ranji Trophy season you scored over 500 runs. How would you look forward to be more successful in the forthcoming season?
I have been playing a lot of one-day cricket of late. I have played a bit in the Chennai league and played two matches in the Moin-ud-Dowlah tournament in Hyderabad as well so I have been trying to make sure I get enough matches to practice for the days matches. Of course the season is really important for me and I want to score some big runs. It’s also about being consistent and when once you score big runs it matters a lot when the runs are counted. So of course I would want to play those big innings and also enjoying the game is very important.
Source: BCCI