Tom Moody confident Dhawan will come good in upcoming Tests

Former Australia all-rounder Tom Moody has worn many hats in cricket. From wearing the Baggy Green to becoming a commentator and also a coach, he has been through it all. Now, he has entered a new field, that of administration.

Moody is the Director of Cricket for Caribbean Premier League T20, helping the organisers with his vast cricketing experience. The 48-year-old, who coached Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League this year, is enjoying his new role and believed that the CPL, which is being aired on Sony Six, produces "attractive and high quality cricket" that can attract global audience.

"It is an interesting transition from cricket to administration. I am still into coaching, though. It really attracted me and wanted to take this opportunity. I have had good experience in the field of cricket in different layers. I have been fortunate to be a player, media-commentator, also a coach. Management is just another layer of it that was presented to me. It is an interesting challenge," Moody told dna in a chat from the Caribbean.

Moody felt that the West Indies brand of cricket has attracted the global audience. "Well I think quite naturally the quality of cricket in CPL can touch the millions throughout the world. The goal is to produce No.

1 attractive high quality cricket which is very much there. There has been the flair and style of Caribbean. CPL has captured the imagination of everyone throughout the world because people celebrate the game on and off the field," he said.

The Australian was worried about the quality of pitches for Test cricket that has been much talked about, especially after the Trent Bridge Test between India and England ended in a draw on a flat track. A concerned Moody felt that the different characteristics of wickets are important to Test cricket.

"I think it's a concern with regard to the credibility of Test wickets that have lost in past decade or two. The different characteristics of the venues are important to the Test arena. The characteristics of wickets at the venues should be retained. What worries a lot of venues and a lot organisations are just hoping the whole part goes from the financial point of view, which I think certainly a concern," he said.

There have been reports of sponsors wanting a full five-day game, hence pitches are flat. Moody believed if that was the case, it was a concern. "It's important that we keep backing a variety of wickets at cricketing venues and not make them all predictable flat batting tracks. Important characteristics at different venues is what they bring to Test cricket," adds Moody.

Moody was also keenly following India and believed the young side is competitive to fight England. "India is highly competitive. There is no doubt about it. Both the teams batted into submission at Trent Bridge on a docile wicket, but I think there was no reason why a side like India can't be competitive enough in England. They are at a rebuilding stage and have got quality players. If they fight with the right combination, they will be successful in England," he said.

The Sunrisers Hyderabad coach has been keeping a close watch on his IPL opener Shikhar Dhawan, who is struggling with form, scoring 12 & 29 in the first Test. "Shikhar will be back in form, there is no doubt. Though he missed out on the opportunity to score in the last Test, I think he will score runs in the coming games and will be confident," he said.

As a lot of tailenders have been getting runs in recent times, Moody felt the bowlers will have to be intimidating. "I think it has a lot to with wickets. The powerful weapons against tailenders is intimidation. If the wicket is not responding, you have to intimidate them with pace, bounce off the seam, pace in the air. Try hard to intimidate since they do not have the technique, which a good top order batsman has. You have to push them back into the crease." he concluded.