IND vs SA | South Africa might miss out on other aspects by focusing only on Indian spinners, feels Amol Muzumdar
Newly-appointed batting coach of South Africa Amol Muzumdar feels that his side might miss out on other key aspects by solely shifting their focus to Indian spinners. He further stated that he wanted to break stereotypes and prove the world that non-international players also make great coaches.
One of the biggest unsolved mysteries in Indian cricket history is that of Amol Muzumdar never representing the country in a single international match. The veteran cricketer, who now is 44 years of age, played no less than 171 first-class matches in the domestic circuit, amassing more than 11,000 runs at an average of almost 50. But alas, he never went on to play for India and one can consider the Mumbaikar extremely unlucky in that aspect.
But now, arguably, the biggest challenge of his career awaits him, as he prepares his South African team to face off against the mighty Indians. The Proteas often in the past have been bamboozled by the Indian spinners, but the 44-year-old feels that the visitors should not just focus on that as they might end up falling short on other aspects of the game by doing so.
"India have a potent attack which doesn’t revolve only around spinners. If you focus on that area, you may miss out on other aspects," Muzumdar told Mumbai Mirror.
"If you plan and prepare, then it’s only a question of execution. Against spin, we’ll have to deal with it. It’s an ongoing process. It requires skill and the right mindset. If you have that balance, you should be able to tackle it," he added.
Unperturbed by everything around him, Muzumdar has been going about his business with thorough professionalism and has been coaching a vast range of teams and countries from juniors to seniors. The Mumbaikar shed light on his coaching experiences and said that it was important to blend in with the different cultures to form a good rapport with the players.
"There was lot of diversity in my playing career just like the way it’s with my coaching career. And I love it. I don’t stick to a plan," he said. "I enjoy working with people from different ethnic backgrounds. You must make sure they’re in a comfortable space. You should integrate into their culture whether it’s the Australians, the Dutch or the English. In that respect coaching is a challenge.
"In the last few years of my playing career I went to Holland as player-cum-coach. There was a lot of coaching involved right from their junior boys to the main team. Then I returned to India to play first-class cricket for Assam for whom I doubled up as player and captain — I coached them too," he said.
Muzumdar also spoke about his time with IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals, where he got to work with several elite cricketers.
"It’s a great opportunity. Coaching Rajasthan Royals in the IPL has given me a platform. It’s a superb franchise that gave me an opportunity to work with world-class players, some of whom are the best in the business. International cricket is a different kettle of fish," he said.
But now, Muzumdar has just one primary goal in his mind, which is to break the stereotype that only international cricketers can coach in international cricket. The former Mumbai cricketer explained how coaching was a completely different aspect and said that all that matters is a person's knowledge about the game.
"I’d like to break this myth here and now that only if you’ve played international cricket, you’re qualified to talk about the sport. If I’m the torch-bearer, let me be one. Coaching is a completely different aspect.
"If I know my subject fairly well – and mine is batting – and can give valid suggestions, then my job is to convince him (the player). How I do it is my skill. And if I know my subject well – which I do after 21 years of first-class cricket and four years in junior cricket – I don’t feel the urge that I should have played international cricket," he signed off.