Dav Whatmore : IPL has made current Indian cricketers fearless
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Dav Whatmore believes that playing in the IPL is the main reason why the current Indian team is playing a fearless brand of cricket. Whatmore also feels that Virat Kohli hasn’t changed his approach to the game since the Sri Lankan coached him at the 2008 U-19 cricket World Cup in Malaysia.
In an interview with TOI, the former Kolkata Knight Riders coach spoke of the transition in the Indian Premier League now that it has entered its 10th edition. Whatmore believes that the IPL has become a spectacle that everyone wants to be involved
“It is a domestic competition but more than a domestic competition and is a massive attraction for not just players but for coaches, support staff, and umpires. A lot of other countries have seen the financial benefits of IPL and have tried to recreate something similar. IPL is a revelation and you can't just simply go around it,” Whatmore said.
Since the inception of the IPL, Indian cricket has seen had a huge roster of players to choose from with players like Kedar Jadhav stepping into the limelight. Whatmore said that the T20 competition was responsible for the fearless brand of cricket that India play on the international level adding that the Indian domestic players weren't the only ones who were benefitting from the IPL.
“You are rubbing shoulders with the best when you play in IPL. And it's just not the big players from other countries, you get to play with in IPL, you get to know the big Indian guys as well. Indian cricketers have had the opportunity to do that for 10 years now. That to me is a major reason why you see the current generation of Indian cricketers play a fearless brand of cricket at the international level. And it's just not the Indians who have benefitted from IPL,” Whatmore explained.
Whatmore had coached the likes of Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja to victory at the U-19 cricket World Cup in Malaysia and he said that he has seen no change in Kohli’s approach to the game. “I see no difference in his approach then and now. He is always physical, aggressive and leads from the front. Where he turned the corner, it was his conscious decision to reduce weight. By doing that he made a massive statement; you are telling everyone that I am doing everything on my part to ensure my performances go up. Earlier, the opposition teams would plan to get him outside the off-stump. In England, Virat didn't have a good series (In 2014). But now when I see him play through the off-side, the bat comes down straight and the face of the bat is hitting the ball. He has been able to conquer the
Having already mentioned Kohli’s aggression, Whatmore was asked if he thought Kohli, at times, overstepped the line, to which he replied, “He is still growing and learning in the job. I think essentially you are what you are and it is not an easy job. I think he will improve as a leader with time.”
The Indian Test team
“Some of the stuff from the players went overboard, a bit too much of talking by players from either side. I would suggest that the ICC should leave the microphones switched on all the time. Let people hear what players are talking about. That would be interesting,” Whatmore said.
After the successful home season, India will now travel all across the globe to face-off against the chasing pack away from the comfortable sub-continental conditions, starting with South Africa. When asked if the current Indian side could win a series abroad, Whatmore said that the all-around abilities of the team would help them adapting to the overseas conditions.
“Potentially yes, because they have the pace, they have spin and can bat deep. Converting all that ability from one set of conditions to another will be the challenge. I think they are going to South Africa at the end of the year and it would be a tough series. I would suggest that when they go abroad, they should go there early to get themselves acclimatized to the conditions,” Whatmore concluded.
