India's Gallipoli?
Australia are the trend setters in pretty much everything cricketing. Their exports coach half the world's Test teams, their scoring rate of 4 an over is what everyone aspires for, they set the standards on the field with bat, ball and with fielding.
John Buchanan clearly is an out-of-the-box thinker, and no, I don't mean it as a cliche. He got a baseballer to teach his boys to field, he gets psychologists to have sessions, and he takes his team to war memorials in Europe to gain inspiration. The last one is absolutely unique - and if we trust this article (may need subscription), the team gained a lot out of it. Hayden talks about it being life-changing, though it was probably more life-changing for the English bowlers who bowled to him in the Ashes after that visit. How much of the success is attributable to this visit is impossible to guage, but full marks for trying something different.
Now that we have an Aussie coach as well, would India take the same route? What would India's Gallipoli be? Kargil? Bangladesh? Venues of the battles with the Brits where our local kings won?
John Buchanan clearly is an out-of-the-box thinker, and no, I don't mean it as a cliche. He got a baseballer to teach his boys to field, he gets psychologists to have sessions, and he takes his team to war memorials in Europe to gain inspiration. The last one is absolutely unique - and if we trust this article (may need subscription), the team gained a lot out of it. Hayden talks about it being life-changing, though it was probably more life-changing for the English bowlers who bowled to him in the Ashes after that visit. How much of the success is attributable to this visit is impossible to guage, but full marks for trying something different.
Now that we have an Aussie coach as well, would India take the same route? What would India's Gallipoli be? Kargil? Bangladesh? Venues of the battles with the Brits where our local kings won?
The British built the India Gate memorial in commemoration of 70,000 Indian soldiers who were killed during World War I. Do we have anything similar and of that magnitude to those who died at Kargil and other places ? Can we really be bothered?
With a freedom struggle as glorious as ours,the number of wars we have had after independence, there should be no shortage of places to visit. These things should come from a collective will, from within.
Just hope it does not take an Australian coach to coerce Indians into going to Drass and being inspired by it all! Kudos to Australians to think of it first.
Posted by
Anonymous |
12:20 PM
Hi Anon - interesting perspective on Kargil memorial. I am not sure if there is anything that comes even close to the India Gate memorial. Sad.
No one knows if it (these trips) are essential, but full marks for innovation.
Posted by
ze rambler |
9:01 AM
The Gallipoli visit that you were talking about was probably in 2001, and as far as I can remember, it didn't do Hayden much good - I mean in terms of runs ;) Check out the stats, just in case.
Nanda Kishore
Posted by
Gameboys |
11:45 AM
full marks for innovation and national pride, yes. But if I am not mistaken those marks should go to Steve Waugh who is credited with starting this tradition?
Posted by
shakester |
4:36 AM