In this episode of 'Free Hit', a series of exclusive video interviews with players, officials and TV pundits from the IPL, Boria Majumdar chats with Jhulan Goswami, the former India captain and bowling legend.
See more videos at https://gulfnews.com/videos
Read more Gulf News stories here: https://bit.ly/2HLJ2km
#cricket #IPLinUAE #IPL2020
See more videos at https://gulfnews.com/videos
Read more Gulf News stories here: https://bit.ly/2HLJ2km
#cricket #IPLinUAE #IPL2020
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00When the auctions were held, none of us knew that the IPL will move to the UAE and to Dubai.
00:04So teams were formed. But now, the weather will be hot, there will be a lot of heat,
00:11spinners will come into play. A lot of these things will change because of the
00:16move from India to Dubai. Your thoughts on how that will impact the tournament?
00:20Today, I have pleasure in introducing to you one of the greatest to have played the game
00:30among women, the highest wicket-taker in the 50-over format, one of India's stalwarts,
00:35one of the greatest legends to have bowled for India, Cholan Goswami, a very dear friend. Thank
00:41you very, very much, Cholan, for joining me on this broadcast, on this free hit show.
00:46First things first, how excited are you that the Indian Premier League is happening?
00:52It's been an honour, always been an honour to talking to you, Boriyada. And absolutely,
00:58after certain five and a half months of lay-off, we all are looking forward for coming back to
01:05cricket field. As an athlete, you wanted to go back to the ground, wanted to play,
01:10wanted to perform, wanted to do a lot of training. So yes, we all are looking forward and we all are
01:16excited. Thanks to BCCI, they are hosting this WIPL and IPL. I'm talking about women's cricket,
01:22so that's why I mentioned WIPL. But IPL, WIPL, we all are grateful as a cricketer, as an athlete,
01:29that BCCI is taking great initiative. Cholan, both of us are in Calcutta and things aren't
01:35normal yet. I mean, both of us know that. But we have been constantly talking, you are doing
01:40physical training, you have a regime planned. Can you give my audience an insight that when are you
01:46planning to start training, your regime and how difficult it was in lockdown and now,
01:53obviously, coming back to full-steam cricket? Give me a sense of that. Initially, it was difficult.
02:00Early stage of lockdown, it was difficult. But after a certain time, we create a certain setup
02:07in our back home and we do a lot of all these exercises, training, all these protocols we
02:14maintain. Best thing was, that's why I said, BCCI is always taking care of the players.
02:21Immediately, they create a group. There was a physio, there was a trainer. Coaches, they are
02:26involved. They used to give us a lot of programs. They used to keep monitoring our process. So,
02:31that part was there. And after that, Unlock 1, Unlock 2, Unlock 3. Now, we are in Unlock 3
02:39phase. So, yes, I started my training, outdoor training. Honestly speaking, in Calcutta,
02:45monsoon is on. So, unfortunately, so far, haven't bowled much because of the weather
02:52not permitting. But that also will come very soon to cricket also.
02:58When the auctions were held, none of us knew that the IPL will move to the UAE and to Dubai.
03:02So, teams were formed. But now, the weather will be hot. There will be a lot of heat.
03:08Spinners will come into play. A lot of these things will change because of the move from
03:14India to Dubai. Your thoughts on how that will impact the tournament?
03:17That is going to be most interesting part at this IPL. Because when that auction was happening,
03:22everybody picked their team based on Indian wicket, Indian weather, Indian soil, everything.
03:29Suddenly, because of this pandemic, IPL has shifted to UAE. So, yeah, this is going to be
03:36challenging. Every team now, definitely, heavily, they are going to rely on the spinners. Because
03:43spin will play a big role in UAE. Because past, whenever we saw any test match, ODI or T20
03:50tournament in UAE, spinners play a big role. And because the weather is so hot over there,
03:58that's why wicket does not have that much moisture in the clay. So, it becomes a very dry,
04:04flat wicket. So, spinners are going to play a big role. But now, if you have quality spinners,
04:09wrist spinners, definitely, those spinners are going to be the key for any franchise team.
04:16And we all are looking forward for that. Because that's going to be the most interesting part.
04:21Because when you are picking up the team, you are picking up a medium pacer,
04:27fast bowler. But now, it's absolutely changing part. Totally, your plan has to be changed.
04:33Now, you have to rely a bit on spinners.
04:36You will be in a stadium. Last year, for example, when you played the WIPL in Rajasthan,
04:40there were thousands of people queuing up to watch your game. This time, at least for the
04:44starting point, starting period, few weeks, towards the latter part, we can say, I want some crowds.
04:49But at least for a start, there will be no crowds. Do you think the players will feel
04:53that as a kind of a very different kind of thing? Or when you step inside the ground,
04:57the intensity will mean that, no, the standard of cricket will be right up there.
05:01How much will that impact the teams?
05:04As a player, that's not important. The important thing is your performance,
05:09your commitment, your effort. That's what is going to make a lot of count.
05:14Yes, we will feel bad for the fans that fans are not coming. We are not able to entertain them.
05:20Individually, I don't think that's going to make a lot of difference to me.
05:23For me, it's going to be the most important part is go there and perform and play for the team.
05:31And try to do well each and every day. Because each and every performance will count
05:36for your upcoming series. Because you have to think about your future.
05:41There are Australia series, then there is England series. If you perform well,
05:45consistently, if you do well, your name will be there in the Indian teams.
05:49So I think players will be more focused on their performance.
05:54And the bar they have, the standard of the bar is here. They are going to be above on that.
05:59How tough will it be? Because none of these players have played cricket in the last six months.
06:03Whoever I have spoken to has said, some of them, for example, told me they have not even lifted a bat.
06:07So now they will come back and get into full steam training after quarantine and all of this.
06:12And then, you know, the bio bubble and full practice. Especially for someone like you,
06:16who is a fast bowler. I mean, Bharat Arun was telling me that for fast bowlers,
06:20it will be even more difficult to come back into rhythm.
06:22How are you seeing that? I mean, how are you seeing the tournament,
06:25sort of, you know, players leading into the top?
06:27Million-dollar question, you know. As a bowler, you know, last six months, you did not bowl.
06:33You did not train that way, the way you want to train.
06:36Somehow, you just... Managing stuff was working over there.
06:40But the most important thing is, you know, if you don't have good rhythm,
06:43there will be a lot of niggles might start. A lot of issues will be there.
06:47Already, that weather is pretty different. It's going to be very hot.
06:51So, it's going to be a big challenge for fast bowler. I have no doubt about that.
06:55But at the same time, we all are professional athletes.
06:58We know how to take care of all these things.
07:01Every team has their physio trainer. They already started their process.
07:06And I think before they played a tournament, they might go to play a few practice matches also.
07:11Because what you said, a few players did not start, hold the bat for almost five months, six months.
07:19So, the most important thing, if you don't do the batting or bowling,
07:24the important thing is your training.
07:26If you do good quality training, you can still manage with that.
07:31Because skills you have, that's on your muscle. But training is going to play a big role.
07:37While we are all celebrating, you know, IPL and the tournament is back and all of that.
07:42I mean, it's a big thing for everybody. For you, for me, for the media, for fans, for everybody.
07:47You know, David Warner was speaking to me the day the Australian team left for England.
07:52And he told me that, oh, you know what, this is very different. I said, why?
07:56He said, because I have to leave Candice and the girls behind.
08:00They can't come with me. We will get into a bubble.
08:02And I really don't know how we'll manage for the next 80-85 days in that bubble.
08:06Because we can't step out. We can't play golf. We can't do anything in the bubble in Dubai.
08:12So, how tough will it be for the players mentally?
08:15It's going to be challenging. It's not going to be easy, you know,
08:17stepping away from your family.
08:20We all love our family. We want to stay to our family most of the time.
08:24But somehow, down the line, as a professional athlete, it's our role to, you know, adapt certain situations.
08:32I definitely feel it's going to be difficult. It's not easy 80-85 days not going outside.
08:38You are not going to have dinner outside.
08:42You are not able to go spend time with your friends or family.
08:45Same time, golf. Nowadays, lot of cricketers play golf in off-time.
08:51It's going to be difficult. But I think players are all professionals.
08:55They know how to handle the situation.
08:56And I am sure franchisee will take care of all small, small things.
09:00Because if players are not mentally fresh, if they are emotionally not connected with that thing,
09:08their performance will not come.
09:10I don't think it will be so much difficult.
09:12But yes, it's going to be very difficult.
09:14And same time, we have to adapt.
09:17Who will adapt to that situation?
09:19They will be in a top position immediately.
09:22Emotionally, and if you are not sound, if you are not 100% in a position,
09:29definitely your performance will not be 100%.
09:32If anybody wants to take something from this discussion,
09:36the thing to take away from this discussion is positivity.
09:40Every time I have asked her a critical question,
09:42she has responded with an optimistic, positive answer.
09:45That's what you need to take from her.
09:48That's what the world needs at this point in time.
09:50We need to move beyond the gloom, the negativity, the despondency, the problem,
09:55and seek positive optimism in what she just said.
09:59It's an absolute pleasure, Jhulan Goswami.