Common denominator is cricket, men or women doesn’t make a difference, says WV Raman
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India women’s head coach Woorkeri Raman believes that there is no difference in working with the women’s team as the common denominator is the same sport of cricket. Raman also spoke about the fitness enhancement training sessions organised post the series losses against New Zealand and England.
With a decade and a half of coaching experience, Raman took over the reins of the Indian women's cricket team in January. However, the former Indian batsman finds no difference, apart from the pace of the game, when comparing his latest assignment with his previous ones.Â
“I think at the end of the day you are only doing what needs to be done, which is imparting knowledge and trying to help in cricket. The common denominator here is cricket. Men or women does not make a difference. Yes, the pace of play may be a little slow or the numericals are different on the scorecard but otherwise, there isn't much difference,” Raman told TOI.
However, the 54-year-old admitted that he has had to make some minor adjustments to his approach to coaching a women’s side, which is on the younger side of the age spectrum.
“I'm more careful about what I say and how I convey it. You must realize there are limitations. That is because the women cricketers are not as experienced as even the India U-19 boys. If you are trying to set a benchmark, it should be in relation to another women's cricket team. In terms of results, yes, you compete. Otherwise, it is neither prudent nor sensible to compare,” Raman noted.
In the nine months since he has taken over, India has lost to the Kiwis and were beaten 3-0 on home soil by the English. But as India head into the five-match series against South Africa, their coach is glad about the work they’ve put into training camps focused on enhancing fitness levels.
“We had a dedicated fitness camp where the players were made to realize the importance of enhancing their fitness. I wouldn't go down to the specifics, but in general terms, they needed to work on their speed and agility. The other, we needed to bat more freely. It meant that these girls needed to realize that whenever there is a tight situation, you just hang in there. It was a case of them going for a big shot in a primitive manner, which is not their strength. But now they try to hit through the line. They are shaping much better than what they were,” Raman said.
“(On the South Africa series) It is very important. There will be a lot of learning. For the players who are young and just making it into the team, each outing will give them exposure. We have a couple of more series before we get into the World Cup and each international game teaches them a lot,” Raman added.
