Chandrakant Pandit, coach of the India U-19 team, says his boys are ready for Mission New Zealand.
The India U-19 team’s interaction with the media here on Saturday was more fun than rhetoric. While fielding questions, the youngsters displayed a sense of excitement and nervousness. The mischievous smiles were inescapable. The questions were tackled with consummate ease. They gave an impression as if they were expecting those queries. Homework? You can say that.
Words like ‘confidence’, ‘no pressure’ and ‘looking forward’ were reeled out at the drop of a hat, nay question. They seem to mean every word they uttered though. The New Zealand bound boys looked ready to defend the Junior World Cup that Virat Kohli & Co had won in Malaysia two years ago. They seem to know very well what a good performance could do to their careers.
Coach Chandrakant Pandit said teenage is one stage which needs to be handled with kids gloves. “This is the time where one needs to be careful because there are so many distractions. Different people give you different suggestions, inputs and advice. And at this age, you accept because you are looking for them. But it is very important from whom you need to take those ideas. Also, the approach is different,” Pandit said.
During the last two weeks, the boys were given some good counselling apart from training. First, Sachin Tendulkar gave them a pep talk on various things, including on ways to play in New Zealand. They had a two-day fielding lesson with Mike Young, the new consultant with the Indian board. And then they were put through a session with sports psychologist Dr SP Bham.
“The session with Dr Bham was very crucial. He advised them on how to stay positive, calm and what should be one’s approach in different situations,” Pandit said. As Pandit said, their job was not only to prepare for the World Cup but also for the ‘future’. The team will leave for New Zealand via South Africa, where they will play a tri-series involving Sri Lanka.
“The boys right now are focusing on the tri-series in South Africa. I don’t want them to think that we are the defending champions. We don’t want to boast that how much we are prepared, which will only bring us under pressure,” he added. “We will take things as they come,” the coach stated.
Wicket-keeper-batsman Sufiyan Sheikh revealed the stint with Tendulkar was a learning experience. “He told us about the conditions there, how much the ball moves and how to be ready to change the position because of it. He told us how to bat out the first 15 overs. It was great talking to him,” said Sheikh.
Captain Ashok Menaria is excited about going to New Zealand and says the aim is to enjoy the game. “We will start from scratch. We have a good combination and are good in all aspects of the game. We are not thinking that we are the defending champions,” the left-handed batsman said.
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