The India coaching job still excites me, says Graham Ford

Graham Xavier Ford, who had coached the highly successful South African side led by the late Hansie Cronje, was once interviewed, and selected, by the Board of Control for Cricket in India for the high-profile job of India cricket coach.

This was in June 2007, soon after the dramatic exit in controversial circumstances of Australian Greg Chappell following India's debacle at the World Cup in the West Indies.

But Ford, then director of cricket at Kent, delivered a resounding slap in the face of the BCCI when he turned down the offer two days after the BCCI announced that he would be the national team's coach.

The embarrassed board was forced to scramble Chandrakant Borde into the role while it launched a fresh search for Chappell's successor. Later that year, the board zeroed in on Ford's compatriot Gary Kirsten, the current coach of the team led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Much has changed for Indian cricket since those tumultuous days, and so has the opinion of Ford, 50, a former Natal tennis champ who played football for the province and is also a qualified rugby union referee, in addition to having played cricket for the Natal B side.

In an interview with DNA, Ford said he would be "game" now for the challenge of coaching the world's number one Test side if another opportunity came his way once Kirsten completes his stint after the World Cup in India next year. Excerpts:

What have you been doing lately?
I coached Kent for five years [from 2004]. I have come to Durban to coach the Dolphins. It’s a big challenge. They struggled a bit over the last few years. We’re trying to rebuild the side with youngsters. It’s an exciting challenge. I’m hoping to see some good results in the next couple of years.

You have been a coach for a long time. How has coaching changed over the years?
The game of cricket has changed dramatically, mainly due to Twenty20. The changes have been for the better. The role of a coach is now to extend support to the stars of the team mentally, technically and strategically.

The support group is still very important. It identifies the areas that need improvement from a player. India’s support team, headed by Gary Kirsten, has been fantastic for a while now. I’m sure the players have appreciated that.

How do you coach a player like Sachin Tendulkar?
The coach goes to him and says, ‘Listen, I have got two eyes that are ready to look at the areas you want to be looked at’. The players might be committing errors without exactly knowing them. He keeps a watch on the stars and gives them all the feedback. The technology is there to help, but the coach can still spring his eyes to help the player.

Have you been following Indian cricket?
They have been a fantastic team with unbelievable talent. One noticeable improvement has been in bowling, which is able to do well away from home.

The batting talent that emerges continuously from India is amazing. As for the last Test, the toss was a massive factor.

Do you think India can bounce back and win in Durban?
In the second innings at Centurion, India showed that they can tackle pace and bounce. Sachin can bat anywhere in the world.

VVS Laxman has done well in Australia and Virender Sehwag had scored a century in his debut Test in South Africa. Dhoni looked comfortable in both innings at Centurion. The contest between the bat and ball should be even, just like in the second innings at Centurion. An exciting couple of Tests are ahead of us.

You have so many good things to say about the Indian players. Why did you say no to the India job?
At that time, there were a few complications in my life. I was in the middle of a contract with Kent. The timing was difficult. It would have meant dropping Kent in the middle of a season.

I’m very loyal to my players. It was a very difficult decision. It was an opportunity I would have liked to grab. Unfortunately, the timing was not right.

There was talk that you said yes to the BCCI and later changed your mind.
Look, there were negotiations going on. I had a lot to consider. I never got the final decision.

Will you accept the job if it comes your way again after the World Cup?
I’m sure India will hold on to Gary Kirsten. He has done a fantastic job. They will make sure that he continues with his back-up staff. I will be surprised if he is not involved going forward.

I’m in a situation now that if an international board thinks that I can make a difference to its side, then I will make a lot of consideration.

I am sure I will look at factors like stability of the board, selection committee, players involved, captaincy and, of course, the time away from home. I will have to look at all these aspects, but certainly I feel that over the years, I have earned a lot of experience and there is no better challenge than the international stage.

Which means the India job still excites you?
Without a doubt. It would excite me. [But] I very much doubt whether they would be looking for a coach and whether they would look in my direction.

They did show an interest before and unfortunately I could not do it. If that is held against me, I have to accept it. I have had several offers from the IPL teams. They wanted lengthy contracts. That is something I will have to make a decision about. But my priority will be to coach an international team.

Corrie van Zyl is leaving the South Africa coaching job after the World Cup. You could be competing for that position with Gary Kirsten.
Look, if Gary wants to do that, he will get it. But I’m sure the Indian officials will twist his arm to retain him. If South Africa is also interested in him, they would also twist his arm to come back home!