THE Aussies do not fear defeat. This is the secret behind their positive approach and it has only enhanced the game. There is much for the cricketing world to learn from Steve Waugh's men.
And 'positive approach' doesn't mean slam-bang stuff. It's more about dishing out simple yet intelligent cricket, never resorting to negative tactics.
I am a firm believer that in life too one has to stay positive to encounter success...in any field. And my cricket was very much on those lines.
This is exactly what the modern sports psychologists are stressing upon. Shut out the negative thoughts from the mind and take away that element of fear.
Cricket is a mind game, and as much as 90 per cent of the battle is played in the mind. And if a side loses the mind game, even superiority in terms of ability would not be able to see it through.
And being the Masters of the Mind game, the Aussies understand only too well the importance of dominating their adversaries. In other words, imposing themselves on a contest.
This can be achieved only through 'Playing to Win' and this is the primary objective when the Aussies enter the ground. A policy that has paid Steve Waugh's almost all-conquering team rich dividends.
The Australians are lucky too that they have an attacking captain in Steve Waugh. He doesn't believe in drawn encounters - he wants to win them.
The recent exciting series against New Zealand was a case in point. The Aussie second innings declaration in the first Test opened up a rain-marred contest that was meandering its way into a dull draw.
The final day bristled with life, with New Zealand going for the runs and almost making it before the Aussies held out for a draw. This is how Test cricket should be played.
Then again in the final Test, at Perth, the Australians, staged an incredible comeback after the Kiwis called the shots on the first four days of the encounter. A fight-back that revealed the passion with which the Aussies play the game.
Now, most teams chasing a target of nearly 450 in just under four sessions, would first play to ensure a draw, and then, if it has enough wickets in hand, make a bid for victory. The Australian approach was in total contrast.
They made a bold charge towards a daunting target, and only when they lost wickets towards the end did they close shop and settle for a draw.
It was a stirring display and though the match and the series ended in a stalemate, the game was the biggest winner. What a refreshing change from the manner the English play the game.
It must be said though that the Aussies have the right kind of players to chart out such a brave course. Men like the super talented Mark Waugh, the never-say-die Steve Waugh and the astonishing Adam Gilchrist, who has made a huge difference to the side. Not to speak of bowlers like Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie, Brett Lee and Shane Warne, always attacking in their methods.
With the exotic blend of right players, the correct attitude and a born-leader at the helm, it is not surprising that the Aussies hold the record for the longest winning streak in Test cricket.
And it is not in batting and bowling alone that one can catch a glimpse of the Australians' desire to win. It can also be seen in those sizzling stops on the field, with the Aussies throwing everything behind the speeding ball.
The Aussie aggression is a vital component in their quest for more victories. There is a lot of pride involved too, and the battles are often intense.
There is an element of gamble involved when the Australians pursue wins, and there have been a couple of occasions in recent times - the fourth Test of the Ashes series last summer was one of them - when the Aussies actually ended up losing the Test.
Yet, that is something we all understand. There is bound to be that occasional setback. However, the number of matches won by Australia far outnumbers the games lost.
The Aussie approach also suggests that they are entertainers first. The crowds love to watch Steve Waugh's men in action and they have seldom let the fans down.
This was evident in India where Australia suffered a rare series defeat, going down to India in that epic third Test in Chennai. The series was narrowly lost, yet Steve Waugh and his team won plenty of supporters for their exciting brand of cricket.
The Aussies almost always scored over 300 runs in a day and took on the Indian spinners. Even if most of them ultimately succumbed to Harbhajan Singh's off-spin, their approach could not be faulted. In the end, the Australians only failed by a whisker in their bid to conquer India in India.
Contrast this with the English approach, which is extremely negative. England goes in with the intention of not losing a Test, and eventually ends up suffering a setback.
One of the principal reasons why England has not produced too many cricketers with flair has been its defensive approach. In the 70s and 80s, it had dashing match-winning cricketers like Graham Gooch, David Gower and Ian Botham.
However, since that bright phase, England has struggled to find men who can win matches, and much of their problems have been due to self-defeating game-plans like having eight fielders on the on-side during certain situations of the game.
On the other hand, the Australians have always been bold. I remember the tied Test in Chennai. Australia had dominated the match for most part, and imagine our surprise when we heard that the visitors had declared the first thing in the morning leaving us around 350 to chase.
Our first feeling was that the Aussie captain Allan Border and coach Bob Simpson must be out of their minds, for the declaration gave us a clear chance on a pitch that still played true.
Moreover, India had a strong batting line-up for that Test with giants like Sunil Gavaskar, Mohinder Amarnath and Kapil Dev in its line-up.
There was a stage too when India appeared coasting towards the target, but Border continued to have attacking fields in place and his innovative piece of captaincy - he cleverly used the off-spin of Greg Matthews - almost won the game for Australia. The Aussies' positive approach stood out once again.
Like Border, Kapil Dev was an inspirational leader and his words of encouragement after India was shot out for 183 against the mighty West Indies at Lord's, in the final of the '1983 World Cup, lifted our spirits. Kapil said, "Let's go in there and try our best."
We did just that and once wickets started falling things began to happen. We went on to win the final and the World Cup. It was an unforgettable experience, and Kapil's contribution as a leader and a cricketer was enormous.
The important thing was we stayed positive all through, even after being bowled out for an unimpressive score. The negative thoughts did not creep in and that was the key really.
The Aussies do the same thing, day in and day out. It's become a habit with them, a part of their cricketing routine. Think positively and reap the rewards is their motto.
Comments
SHARE