Do they have time to make a difference, asks Chandu Borde

Chandu Borde

The Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) decision to send their two support staff members on a "break" in the midst of the England tour has surprised former captain Chandu Borde.


Chandu Borde

Yesterday, bowling coach Joe Dawes and fielding coach Trevor Penny were asked to go on leave following the Indian team's drubbing in the just concluded five-match Test series which the visitors lost 1-3.

Head coach Duncan Fletcher will now work with Sanjay Bangar, Bharat Arun (as assistant coaches) and R Sridhar (fielding coach) for the England limited overs series starting August 25. The Indian board also appointed former India skipper Ravi Shastri as Team Director for the ODIs.

Borde, who was a stop-gap arrangement for the 2007 England tour after former South Africa coach Graham Ford rejected BCCI's offer to coach the team, is skeptical about the difference the new support staff members will make in a short time.


Sanjay Bangar

"It is very surprising that the Board thought of making changes in the middle of a important tour. I don't know whether the new guys have enough time on hand to make a difference. If they can do it (bring a change) then it will be a miracle," Borde told mid-day from his residence in Pune.

Borde wanted the mindset of the players to change. "Coaches will keep giving their inputs, but implementation is important. Now, that cannot change immediately.

It is important to change the mindset of the players. We will only know whether that happens at the end of the tour," said Borde, who turned 80 last month.

'It will help'
Borde said having Indians in the support staff definitely helps. On the 2007 England tour, Robin Singh (fielding coach) and Venkatesh Prasad (bowling coach) were a part of the Indian team support staff. It helps the players. Although I was a manager, I gave tips to VVS Laxman and Sourav Ganguly," he said.