Providing a roadmap to win the next World Cup, scheduled in England in 2019, ex-India skipper Dilip Vengsarkar on Monday suggested that cricket authorities should spot a handful of young pace and spin bowlers and make them play in county cricket during the off season here. "It's important to spot at least six young fast bowlers/spinners, preferably of under-23 age-group, who are on the fringe of playing for India to spend at least three months bowling in county cricket (that's India's off-season) every year. They will learn much faster there," he said when asked to draw a roadmap for the two-time champions to regain World Cup glory.
"They could be monitored by India's bowling coach, for he would know their development through the county coach as well. England is the best place for the young cricketers to learn and improve," the ex-chief national selector said. "As for Dhoni, he has been outstanding throughout his career and I am sure he would love to be a part of that World Cup in 2019, of course only if his form, fitness and motivational levels permit," he said when asked whether the 33-year-old Dhoni can be part of the World Cup.
"Most of the players from the present team would be in their thirties in 2019. They would be seasoned players with loads of experience. However, every champion team has a good blend of youth and experience," he remarked over how many of the current team members could go on till 2019. The 58-year-old former middle order mainstay, a member of the victorious 1983 World Cup squad led by Kapil Dev, also emphasised on the importance of bench strength and said a way should be found to build up a comprehensive programme and groom young talent like in Australia.
"Well, (as) the first and foremost (step) it's important to build the bench strength. And, that can be done with good, solid, competitive programmes for the under-19s and A teams. That's where one can get the talent which could be groomed to play at the highest level," said Vengsarkar, who scored three back-to-back Test tons at lord's in his career.
"For example, the Australians have always been one of the top two teams in world cricket since they have been playing the game. Right through the first World Cup in 1975, where they lost very narrowly to the West Indies, they have always been a force to reckon with. They may lose but they will come back stronger and hungrier to get back at you.
"They have classic, world class infrastructure with wickets that have the bounce, a solid system that produces top class players year after year. As a result, there is an easy transition of A team/first class players into the international team. The Australian Cricket Academy churns out talent and groom them so there is a very little or negligible void when a senior cricketer retires," he said.
"Compared to Australia, cricket is the most popular game in India and as such India has young cricketers with oodles of talent but more often they are not nurtured to become international players. That's where the talent loses out.
"They look good at the under 14s and 16s level but by the time they need to show their worth around 18 years of age, they are confused either with wrong coaching methods which are inflicted on them or peer pressure," he added.
Start preparing for 2019 WC: Borde
India should start preparing for the 2019 World Cup in a diligent manner similar to the way in which the triumphant Australians did for the just-concluded edition, feels former Test cricketer and ex-chief selector Chandu Borde. "It's four years away. But have you noticed the way Australia prepared themselvesIJ Clarke was not fit to play the first few matches and they gave the captaincy to (George) Bailey and not Smith who led them to victory in the preceding Test series against India," Borde said.
"This shows how well they had prepared themselves. They had decided in advance that if such contingencies arise, who should lead. How nicely they had done it. This is how we should prepare ourselves," said Borde. The 80-year-old Borde, who played 55 Tests between 1958 and 1969, pointed out that Bailey was benched soon after Clarke got fit, an indication of the victorious Australians' bench strength.
"After playing and winning a few matches, Bailey was removed from the team because Clarke was back. "In similar manner we have to prepare ourselves. We need to plan big right from now and how we should go about it. We don't know what will happen in couple of years, whether the current players will be available or not. The ground work should start now," he remarked. "In similar manner we’ve to prepare ourselves. We also need to plan big right from now and how we should go about it. We don't know what will happen in a couple of years from now, whether the current players will be available or not. The ground work should start now," he remarked.
Borde also expressed his surprise at Dhoni's statement that the top pace bowlers of the country should not be forced to play domestic cricket. "I was rather surprised by what Dhoni said. How many overs did they bowl in a match — ten oversIJ There's always a gap also — after four overs or so. In the past how much domestic cricket had guys like Ramakant Desai played! let these bowlers play more domestic cricket. What's the harm," said Borde. When pointed out that Dhoni was talking about first class domestic matches, Borde retorted, "After all this is the yardstick and from these performances only you are selected, is it notIJ I am not convinced."