Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott previews must-win ICC Cricket World Cup clash with Netherlands
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00 Hi Coach, there is lots of talk about how you have changed the way the Afghanistan batters
00:11 are batting in the middle order. Is it like there is something specific talk going on
00:17 because before the World Cup you made a very point that they know how to clear the boundary
00:22 but the main challenge is to hit through the ground and run 1s and 2s. So Afghanistan in
00:30 that department has done pretty extraordinary well. So your thought on that, is there any
00:35 specific work gone through behind it?
00:40 I think it's a case more of just being better all around and thinking more about your all
00:44 around game. I think Afghanistan naturally grows up playing a lot more T20 cricket format
00:49 than any other format. So the skills for T20 are there. It's about adding to that base
00:55 of T20 skills. As you see 50 other crickets a long time and you have to be able to ride
01:02 the ebbs and flows of a game. The thing that I'm really happy about from last game is we
01:09 lost a wicket in the first over and Ramachandran was able to go into number 3 and soak up that
01:13 pressure but still keep scoring at a good tempo. So that shows the ability to soak up
01:21 pressure at times which you have to do in 50 other cricket but also then accelerate
01:24 at certain times. So wanting and trying to enable batters and give them the game and
01:30 help them grow the game so they can have both facets of the game. Pressure, soaking it up,
01:35 rotation of strike and obviously accelerating and boundary hitting.
01:40 So what's your biggest, you are the coach of the Afghanistan cricket team but what's
01:45 your biggest learning with this bunch of boys who have been doing exceptionally well. What's
01:51 your key learning with this bunch?
01:55 I think the key thing for me is learning, understanding the game from a different point
02:01 of view, different culture, different way of thinking about it compared to how the game
02:06 is spoken about, thought about and coached in England or perhaps growing up in South
02:10 Africa and having another complete culture in different countries way of thinking about
02:15 cricket and trying to adapt to that but also add to it to make it as good as possible.
02:21 So that's been the biggest learning for me and the thing that I enjoy doing the most.
02:28 Hi coach, a few hours ago Colin Ekerman was here from the Netherlands camp and I asked
02:37 him about countering the spin attack of Afghanistan and in reply he said that Afghanistan team
02:44 has three good spinners who have done well in the T20 format but the 50 overs format
02:49 is a bit different thing. So as a coach do you think if you have talent in the side then
02:56 format really matters?
02:59 I think it's about being consistent in those formats. I think our spinners are ranked quite
03:04 highly in ODI cricket as well as T20 so I'm not quite sure what that sort of comment is
03:09 but I think they bowl well in all formats. So I don't think it's a case of just talent
03:19 as your question suggests, I think it's a case of experience, it's a case of NAS, it's
03:23 a case of assessing the conditions like our spinners do, communicating that, what length
03:27 as well that spinners should bowl, having that. So it's not just about the format, it's
03:33 about the moment and the occasion as well. A lot goes into the melting pot to make a
03:38 good spinner, certainly T20 cricket but also in ODI cricket where generally spinners are
03:43 going to bowl with only four fielders out and that's a skill in itself to be able to
03:47 do that as a finger spinner and as a wrist spinner to have the control as a wrist spinner
03:52 but also the experience and the skill as a normal finger spinner with no mystery.
03:59 Jonathan, Ikram had an injury in the previous game and Gurbhaj had to take the gloves. So
04:05 what's the status on Ikram's injury right now? Is he available for the game?
04:09 Yeah, he's available.
04:11 What kind of injury was it?
04:13 I just hurt his finger.
04:21 This is the previous home ground of Afghanistan team at IKANA and how you people are looking
04:28 to utilize benefits?
04:30 I think when it comes to home ground advantage, I think they have good experience of playing
04:39 here at the ground but in the case of World Cup matches, I think they've relayed the pitch
04:46 a little bit so it's a little bit different to how it has been in the past so I don't
04:50 think experience plays that bigger role but I would say previous World Cup experience
04:59 from the players as well, we've won against big sides, against the big test playing nations.
05:04 I think tomorrow's challenge is going to be playing against a very good Dutch side who
05:08 are in form and that's going to be the challenge for us tomorrow so very excited for it. So
05:12 I don't think there's any advantage having previously played here maybe because I think
05:17 Holland have played here before as well, I'm pretty sure. So they've got probably more
05:22 experience in the World Cup of playing here than we have so it's all about how we play
05:26 tomorrow.
05:27 Trot, the most trending question this time in all over the world is Afghanistan is going
05:33 to make place in top four in semi-finals, lots of permutations and combinations in your
05:38 mind this time?
05:39 Well we're not going to make the semis, you know, by just talking about it, we have to
05:44 play good cricket. So as long as we play good cricket we'll give ourselves the best chance
05:47 of being able to do that. So that starts tomorrow and how well we start tomorrow is going to
05:53 be crucial and how well we finish. It's important that when it comes to World Cup games everything
06:03 is different, different conditions, we've moved away, we've had, you know, Pune is very
06:07 different to Lucknow, Delhi is very different so that's the challenges of the World Cup
06:11 is different conditions, different grounds, different climates. So as long as we adjust
06:16 ourselves well, we had a good practice yesterday, hopefully we have another good practice today
06:20 and we're ready for tomorrow.
06:22 Coach, there are lots of talk about Ajay Jadidja's mentorship in Afghanistan team and what type
06:29 of help you are getting from him?
06:31 Well I think Ajay obviously brings a lot of experience having played a lot of cricket
06:36 in India and he's always a good sounding board with regards to conditions and the venues
06:44 and probably the sort of other, also the other subcontinent teams that we've played against.
06:50 You know, he has a lot of experience in that way having played a lot against different
06:53 those countries. So he brings his vast experience to the players but also as for myself as a
06:59 coach as a good sounding board with decision making and sort of planning going forward
07:06 for each game and also another good set of eyes on the players to see how they are preparing
07:10 for the matches and how their careers and talent is being utilised.
07:14 One more question please. Afghan players are very good looking in longer version of game
07:21 at present, they are very patient in batting. How this change came?
07:29 I just think it's a case of a lot of thoughts and going behind it from the players and also
07:38 realising how much time you actually do have in the 50 over game. I think when chasing
07:42 those targets we saw what is possible if you have a good solid start and you have in batsmen
07:48 in the last 10 overs. That's happened for us but it's also happened against us in games
07:53 where it's been difficult to stop the opposition with set batters in the last 10 overs.
07:59 So I think having that sort of vision, knowing that you can score quickly towards the back
08:05 end of games, I think that's the pennies. We are starting to see that drop with the
08:11 players. Obviously there is a difference between talking about it but actually going out and
08:14 doing it. We are seeing players go out and do it now and it's not just a case of the
08:18 players talking about it. That's what we have done, we have spoken a lot about it and
08:23 worked really hard to try and achieve it. So it's nice to see the players do well and
08:27 have a smile on their face when they are there batting at the end of the game having chased
08:31 in the last two games and won.
08:33 Coach, are we going to see all spin attack here? That means all your four spinners will
08:40 play here because this pitch is more helpful to spinners and the opposition team is not
08:47 so good in playing spin.
08:50 Have you seen the pitch? No, I think we are going to try and pick the side for the conditions,
09:00 the best side we can pick. So we will just have to see how that shapes up tomorrow when
09:04 we get to the ground.
09:05 Hi coach. What do you think about the due factor, how the playing XI will be affected
09:17 by the due factor that is having here in Lucknow?
09:22 It does come into equation but we saw that you not really have an effect when India played
09:30 England. So you have got to weigh it up obviously when you are selecting the side but also the
09:36 decision to the toss. We have sort of seen the toss not have a huge effect on outcomes
09:42 of the games and whatever we do, whether we bat or bowl first, having won the toss or
09:46 lost the toss, we have got to make sure we do it better than the Netherlands tomorrow.
09:52 Can you comment on the due factor and overall on all the games that you have played, whether
09:57 the due factor has any role in India right now because in some games like India did here,
10:03 the ball was turning even though there was a due. So overall if you can make a comment
10:08 in this regard.
10:09 I think it depends on different types of pitches and also the amount of due. Certainly you
10:14 have seen in Pune now the pitch there, the due has played a role in being able to chase
10:19 and it definitely, it is really tricky to sort of sit here and not talk about it because
10:26 I haven't played at all the grounds. We have only played at Delhi where it didn't have
10:30 much of an effect. Chennai had had a bit of an effect, Pune had had a little bit of an
10:35 effect. So everywhere it is just a little bit but again as I said, the due doesn't determine
10:39 whether you want to lose because we saw India win here bowling last. Again, seeing that
10:43 it is how you bat, how you bowl and how you get yourself into the composition and competition
10:48 and outplay the opposition.
10:50 Hello coach, this is not specific to World Cup. Afghanistan has been using Mujib as an
10:58 opening bowler for quite a long time. So what do you feel about this? What qualities do
11:03 you think has helped him to do this so well?
11:06 Well, there are a few things to why Mujib does so well. He is one of the only spinners
11:11 I know who wants to bowl in the powerplay. He sees that as his role and I think that
11:16 can only benefit us as a side but also that is what he benefits from mentality wise. You
11:22 don't want somebody who doesn't want to bowl in the powerplay, especially a spinner.
11:26 So to have that ability but also the way people around the world know how good a bowler he
11:32 is, the variations he has. He can manipulate which way he spins the ball depending on the
11:38 strength of the opposition batsman. And his accuracy, certainly in the last few games,
11:44 has been getting better and better and really, really good and been bowling world class in
11:48 the powerplay. So I am looking certainly tomorrow for him to continue his form and make inroads
11:56 and have an impact on the game tomorrow.
11:59 Coach, in Chennai you guys played Noor. He did exceptionally well. Next game he was benched.
12:06 Farrukhi came in, he picked four. It's like horses for courses as far as we understand.
12:12 So how difficult it is as a coach to tell an 18 year old that, "Ok mate, you have done
12:16 well but this pitch we are going to try a different combination and you are warming
12:21 the bench." Is it difficult to have a talk?
12:25 I think it's always difficult to tell a person you are leaving them out after the way that
12:28 they bowl, especially a young person who is so ambitious and talented but also determined
12:32 to do well. But I think it's great in his attitude, in Noor I think you are referring
12:37 to, that he knows his career and you sort of explain to him this is the reasons, but
12:44 well done. But make sure that you keep working hard because the thing that I am most happy
12:49 about in that he has been with the side for almost two months and he got his opportunities
12:55 because he has been training really well, he took his opportunity. So there is no hesitation
13:01 in picking him again if the conditions suggest that he should be picked. I know that he will
13:08 be ready and excited for him to play.
13:11 Did you guys know about the champion trophy qualification scenario before the tournament
13:20 and is it in your mind now?
13:23 I didn't know about it before the tournament, no.