Psychologist Rudi Webster, hired to help the team in the build-up to the WC, is indisposed; BCCI has no plans of finding a replacement.
MUMBAI: Will India lag behind other teams in mind games before the World Cup? It looks like it, if one goes by the latest decision of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The beleaguered cricket team will not have a replacement for an indisposed Dr Rudi Webster, who was brought on board for the team’s preparation ahead of the World Cup.
The BCCI, in fact, is not happy with the performance of the West Indian psychologist whose services were recruited after much persuasion by the team management. Webster had spent about 10 days with the players prior to the Champions Trophy in October. “You can see the impact for yourself,” said a top board official, implicitly indicating that the team’s performance has not improved much after Webster was brought on board. Before getting hammered in South Africa, India, one may recall, had failed to qualify for the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy.
With Webster indisposed, the BCCI is not in a hurry to get a replacement. “I don’t think a psychologist is mandatory for the team,” Board secretary Niranjan Shah said. “If Webster is not coming, that is okay. That is not a major setback.” Shah, however, has disclosed that many Indian psychologists have offered their services to the team.
Webster, who had played a role in shaping the career of West Indian captain Brian Lara, was roped in by the BCCI for 36 days and the West Indian was to have three staggered sessions with the Indians— two of them in the build-up to the World Cup. He was scheduled to have a 12-day session with the players during the two ODI series lined up in the next one month.
But Shah said the deal was not relevant any more. “There is no deal. We’ve not heard from Webster. We’ll see what the team management wants. They have not asked for one so far. Besides, we don’t want to confuse the players with different mind game theories.”
When contacted, coach Greg Chappell, who always maintained that the modern sport is all about mind, told DNA that the team management is not contemplating to have a psychologist at the moment. Asked if he would be in favour of having someone like Australian Sandy Gordon — who had played a key role in India’s campaign during the last World Cup — Chappell said: “We have not made any plans to do so.”
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