THE DADA OF KNIGHTS

Q Back as the KKR captain, how does it feel just hours before your first test in IPL III?

A Feels good... Hopefully, we will do well... It’s not about who is the captain and who isn’t, but all about the franchise doing well.

You’ve always enjoyed being the captain, isn’t it so?

Whatever the form of the game, being the captain is an honour... That’s how I see it and, yes, I’ve enjoyed leading teams... India, Bengal, KKR...

Being removed as the KKR captain, last season, left you quite devastated...

Not really.

What does KKR need to learn from the first two seasons of the IPL?

Look, this is sport and there are no guarantees... I do think we had the team in the first season (2008), but were unlucky to lose many of our overseas players after the first six matches or so... Players came and went and, as a result, we didn’t have much of a team left. Last season, we did have a team, but were pretty disorganised... We also lost a number of close matches.

Is it actually easy to forget the disappointments?

The challenge in sport is to find ways to forget the bad performances... There will be successes and there will be failures, for that’s the nature of sport... A sportsman has to find ways to handle both equally.

This season, the franchise has invested in some new Indian players. Done consciously?

Yes... We needed to recruit some with potential as I felt we’d been weak in the Indian players’ department... Last season, we didn’t give enough time and thought to finding the right (Indian) players... I made a note of that in the off-season.

In the new lot, who could stand out?

(Grins) They’ve done well in domestic cricket, let’s see how they perform in the IPL... (Cheteshwar) Pujara couldn’t play for KKR last season... We’ve got Manoj (Tiwary) this time, from the Delhi DareDevils... Let’s wait and see. Hopefully, they will fire in the KKR jersey.

How has Dav Whatmore been as coach?

Dav’s been fantastic... He’s a calm person... He’s uncomplicated and mixes well with the boys... He’s friendly and, indeed, it’s a refreshing change in the dressing room.

You’re the more emotional sort, so does Dav’s calmness balance things?

We’re both passionate, equally passionate, I’d say... Both want to do well in our roles and, certainly, both want the franchise to do well...

How would you describe your relationship with Dav?

So far it has been good. We understand each other and share a common goal — of getting KKR to do well in this edition of the IPL. Dav’s a good man and is quite like John Wright, with whom I had an excellent rapport during his years as the India coach.

The biggest difference between Dav and predecessor John Buchanan...

Don’t want to get into it.

Okay... What, in your view, is the ideal captain-coach relationship?

Well, they’ve got to be friends and both need to work towards a common objective... That’s the starting point... Both need to have space to operate... (After a pause) Both will make mistakes as nobody is perfect, that’s bound to happen at some stage... However, there won’t be problems if, within, both know that the mistakes came about in the course of an honest effort to do well... Both have to be clear in the heart.

For all your experience, you’ll still be feeling the pressure when the first match gets under way...

I’ve been in such situations on a lot of occasions... I played for India 424 times (113 Tests, 311 ODIs) and each outing was a pressure match... There’s pressure on any big stage... One learns to deal with it and one devises ways and means to get out of pressure situations.

You’ve quit international cricket, but got runs in almost all tournaments this season. Haven’t you been tempted to come out of retirement?

(Laughs) I agree I quit a little early (November 2008)... I could still play for India and get runs... However, that’s a closed chapter now... Circumstances were such that, at that stage, I felt I made the right decision...

Dav is one of those who feels you’ve shown you’re capable of again playing for India...

Capable of playing and performing! That story is over, though.

Is there a formula, so to say, for T20 cricket?

Not sure of a formula, but you’ve got to play freely... Play without pressure.

Would you pick one team as being the most formidable?

In this format, you can’t name one... T20 is capable of throwing up surprises.

Among the players, who is likely to make the biggest impact?

Again, it’s difficult to single out.

In KKR, at least...

(Grins) Hopefully, each one of us... Let’s keep fingers crossed.

Finally, principal owner Shah Rukh Khan has promised a change in KKR’s attitude. Your take?

I will talk about it at the end of the season... Personally, I don’t like saying anything much (before a tournament). I’d rather do things, than talk... Why don’t you wait for a few weeks?