South Africa's glorious approach

I had never been to South Africa in my playing days and it will forever remain a disappointment that I did not get to enjoy the fabulous cricketing atmosphere the Proteas are so proud of. I had heard so much about South African cricket and I am discovering the glories of it from the commentators' box. There is something about playing and watching cricket in South Africa.

My early impressions of South Africa only confirm my belief that India lags way behind when it comes to providing the ideal atmosphere that is required to raise the quality of the game at all levels. South Africa, which gave the world of cricket some fantastic innovations which have raised the standard of the game and its overall supervision, is a complete team, backed by a sporting crowd and a very efficient bunch of administrators.

The few grounds that I have visited leave me in no doubt that the South African youngsters get the right platform to hone their skills and pursue their interests in a very professional manner. From a school cricketer to the one who wears the National cap, the player is provided with the best of facilities. It is thus no wonder that South Africa has rarely found the talent flow drying up. The team has been consistent in its play and it stands next only to Australia in terms of international stature.

I am not trying to make any comparisons, but I can't resist from confessing that there is much more professionalism in the manner in which a South African youngster is groomed. I agree there are a lot of factors that influence the grooming process, but there is no doubt in my mind that if the Indians get the same kind of backup, we would be able to produce a very different, a much fitter and a very competitive bunch of cricketers.

It is indeed sad that the Indians simply fail to learn from mistakes and what pains one most is when you see the experienced men in the side faltering. At the end of the first match against South Africa, I could only conclude that this team would not make any impact unless it realised the need to be consistent.

Javagal Srinath and Venkatesh Prasad cannot be making basic errors when they ought to be taking the lead in guiding the attack. The way these two were carted around by the South African openers may have had a shattering effect on the rest of the bowlers. It was not that they were bowling very poorly, but then they never seemed to be learning from the mistakes they have been committing for too long now.

You cannot teach an international bowler to pitch the ball up. It is the basic requirement as line and length form the basis of your attack. Srinath and Prasad bowled too many short-pitched balls and were promptly punished. In the process, the other bowlers too got clobbered and India failed to defend a decent total.

The failure, as Sourav Ganguly pointed out, may have been collective, and rightly so. But then how long would the Indians continue to look for reasons for their defeats instead of playing to their potential? The potential here lay in Srinath and Prasad bowling tight and creating pressure on the South African top order to take the initiative. As this did not happen the reasons were easy to see.

The best thing about South Africa is that they do not have any 'stars' in their side and have little time to waste on discussing past mistakes. It is accepted that mistakes once committed have to be avoided and that is one reason why a South African cricketer who fails in one or two matches can be expected to come back strongly in the third.

South Africa plays only to win. For that matter, other teams also enter the arena with a similar resolve, but in South Africa's case the self-belief is so strong that a captain has fewer worries on account of performance and injuries. The form may vary no doubt, but the fitness level of the South Africans is always high.

At the start of a game, each South African knows his role very well. He has to score runs, take wickets and then all of them have to save runs. The fielding standard of the South African team is so high that it puts the opposition under pressure even before the first ball is bowled.

There is a lot of planning in South African cricket. The players are given the best technical support to understand their potential and match the opposition in all departments. Their domestic structure is very competitive and a lot of importance is paid to the performances. This is where the grooming process comes in so useful.

There is no compromise in cricket matters, I was told. A cricketer gets top priority in every step that the administrators take and the modern face of the game in South Africa is a compliment to the vision of those who take the decisions. South Africa has made tremendous progress under the guidance of Dr. Ali Bacher and I am sure cricket in India would improve by leaps and bounds if the Board takes a cue from his style of functioning.

What struck me the most about cricket administration in South Africa is that emphasis is put on transparency. What is there to hide, you may ask, and I agree, but I must admit honestly I have never been able to understand the functioning of those who conduct the game in India. There is such intrigue surrounding their decisions, which may affect the cricketers directly. We can discuss this sometime later.

As this tour unfolds, I am sure we are likely to come across some more wonderful aspects of South African cricket. Getting to meet some of their greats has been a very pleasant experience for me and I am keen to know more about them. The tour has just warmed up, what with this sporting country waiting anxiously for the Test series to start. That is when the best cricket will be on display.