India A and U19s doing well is a reflection of our strong system: WV Raman
The start of a new season might be some time away but Indian cricket keeps rolling even in the off-season. Back after a successful UK tour, the India A boys are preparing for the two bilateral and a quadrangular series while the U19 boys are in Sri Lanka and getting ready for a dose of white ball action.
The U19s just wrapped up the four-day format winning the two-match series 2-0. The team led by Anuj Rawat won the first Youth Test in Colombo by an innings and 21 runs and the second in Hambantota by an innings and 147 runs.
WV Raman, former India batsman and the Head Coach of the India U19 team in a interview to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said, “It is good to see these boys perform well in the four-day version. These boys need to realize that they can hone their skills and develop the right qualities that are required by doing well in the four-day games.”
“The boys showed application and a lot of temperament, which is very crucial at this stage. One should also appreciate the system we have in domestic cricket. These boys get to play the longer format in the BCCI tournaments. It’s a question of opportunities and a case for these boys making good use of the opportunities,” he said.
Raman said the biannual World Cup is a very important tournament and also a star attraction for these boys, as they like to play the shorter format. It is equally important to play the longer format, as it is there that your temperament; mental toughness and skills are tested. These boys need to play the longer format more as you see that cricketers who succeed in the longer format find it easier to adapt to the shorter format.
It is vital that when they start their career, they play the longer format too. Regarding the question of Pavan Shah during the knock and particularly after he was run out on 282, he said, “ The way Pavan Shah constructed his innings and the way he played, there was not much I needed to tell him. Not every day in your life you get close to a triple century and once he got out on 282, he was disappointed. I tried to tell him that it was rather unfortunate. It was really disappointing for the kid, as he got run-out of all dismissals.”
“The way he was batting, he never looked like getting out. The way he played that innings is an indication of his ability to play long innings. He has the hunger to play long innings. I am sure in the future, he will grab his opportunities and go on to make a triple century. When somebody does it at this stage, he knows how to get there and the next time he gets close to a landmark, he will achieve it,” the Head Coach of the India U19 team said.
Regarding the question of his coaching philosophy for these U19 youngsters, Raman said, “At the U19 level, you expect them to make a few mistakes due to their inexperience. It is the age where they can make mistakes and they can learn from their mistakes. It is completely different from handling a senior side where you would expect a certain kind of efficiency from individuals as well as the team.”