Dan is the don

Daniel Vettori is called Mr Cricket in New Zealand. The Kiwi, arguably the best captain in the world today, tells Vijay Tagore that his target is to arrive for the 2011 World Cup as favourites rather than dark horses


How do you look back at the Champions Trophy - satisfied or disappointed?
Very disappointed. We’ve done very well with all those injuries to our key players from the very beginning. We fought well in South Africa after a lean trot in the build-up to the Champions Trophy.Personally, how much of a disappointment for you? The result perhaps would be different if you had played. I’m not going to make any false statements. We understood what we need to do and what we needed to be. Australia must have realised that they had to fight hard to beat us in the final even though we were not full strength. But there were a lot of positives.

When did you know about the injury?
I was injured during the England game and aggravated it in the semifinals against Pakistan. So there was no way I could play in the final.

If there was a captain of the tournament award, you perhaps would have run away with it...
Such an award would have been very incredible. There were some excellent captains and captaincy in the Champions Trophy. Ricky Ponting was excellent with his performance and captaincy and won the player of the year award. Captaincy is all about taking wickets and scoring runs.

Your batting has been a revelation...
I like to bat, no doubt. I got the opportunity in the ODIs. It is a matter of experience. I just want to hang around there and use all my experience and help others do well as well.
What’s it that drives you to do so many things so well - batting,  bowling and leading?
It is the easiest thing in the world when you are winning and performing. It is totally a different thing  when you are losing or when things are not what you want it to be. There are guys who look to the captain to perform and there are others who want the captain to provide inspiration.

The entire team is behind you? What’s is it in your leadership that everyone in New Zealand is talking about?
I had a good leader in Stephen Fleming and I learnt a lot from him. The biggest thing he told me was to stay calm in the park. When you stay calm you can understand the situation and the players much better than when you are all over the park. I think for me the team has to respond in a particular manner and they can do it better when they are calm than not.

Brendon McCullum once said he would not mind serving even drinks to you…
 Brendon and I have developed a good relationship as a captain and vice-captain. Hopefully he will support me and my decisions. We have built respect and admiration for each other.

Do you think you could be as successful leading a high-profile side like India, Australia or England?
 There is pressure while playing for New Zealand just as playing for Australia or India. There are still huge expectations for the players to win and for me to lead them to victories.  We are questioned in New Zealand if something goes wrong.

There is hue and cry in Pakistan that your semifinal match against them was fixed?
It is disappointing. We know that we fought hard. I know nothing has come off it. I know how hard they fought for the victory.

Disappointed that you are not able to play in the Champions League?
That is a real disappointment. Delhi is a strong side and losing AB de Villiers and Paul Collingwood is a setback for them. I will be keenly following them.

What is the ultimate target — yourself and the team?
We go to Dubai to play Pakistan and hope to do well there. As long we remain injury free, I think we will have a good chance in the 2011 World Cup. We want to be there as favourites as opposed to dark horses in 2011.