More to coaching than being a good captain

Newsday – I trust that Cricket West Indies (CWI) in their wisdom have not overburdened Daren Sammy, having placed this further responsibility on his shoulders to be the Test cricket coach for the West Indies. It will be an enormous task, given the heavy workload in all three formats in present-day international cricket.

Diverse players would be involved to fit in for their suitability, and being a coach and selector would be a much tougher job than might be anticipated.

Captaincy is an art on its own and should never be compared with coaching. That is the reason why anyone, but especially a former cricketer, ought to subject himself to a coaching course in order to understand the rudiments of the sport and its players from miscellaneous angles.

Sammy admitted to never having taken a cricket coaching course. That is tantamount to saying: “I realise all I need to know to be a coach, having been an international captain of a cricket team for quite a few years.”

Until one does a coaching course, one does not realise how little one knows of building the capacity of players to face the circumstances in a game of cricket. Every personality has different needs.

One must know the game inside out and then some more.

There’s the gift of appreciating when to be stern and when to be encouraging.

Then, of course, he has to know how to build and spread enthusiasm and strengthen resolve.

An important factor is to have players always mentally attuned to winning, committed to the moment, especially when preparing. It’s also crucial to absorb all the information one can, through psychology, which is most important to one’s human relations.

How can anyone boast about not having any qualifications, yet he is able to walk into a job of vital importance like an international Test cricket coach and be confident in holding the position? Furthermore, the responsibility of Sammy’s coaching position is not as easy as it looks. Test cricket should be in a class of its own because a lot more is involved.

The grading is more complex and so is the number of issues involved. Additionally, the selection of bowlers to suit pitches, the balancing of teams to challenge any situation, a two-innings game over five days and a host of ideas that one has to be aware of; in the event of playing defensively, when to attack, or to declare.

The captain has to understand the changing of bowlers, the batting order. No one dictates four or ten overs maximum per bowler.

A Test match coach on its own is a tough assignment and his concentration on and off the field must be sharp, including his players’ preparation, when he’s thinking about his plan to suit the game or the team to choose for the occasion.

It would be interesting to find out how the coach would deal with these matters; however, he’ll need all the luck he could attract and a great deal of common sense. Sammy says: “We are faced in a situation where our players with the most exposure to different conditions and the most successful ones are playing white-ball cricket.”

Of course, that goes without saying. The franchises select the best players they could get their hands on, regardless of the format in which they appear. The players’ chances to lure sponsors and several leagues would be met. Even new territories are being opened up, like the USA, Middle East and Asian countries and it seems, soon enough, the South American countries would be part of the T20 scene. Because it is so easy to follow, plus, the shorter playing time, big business would lap it up and the players would follow.

However, Test cricket would still be around as the majority of cricketers want to experience the delightful pleasure which lies exclusively in the clash of countries in the essence of the game that is Test cricket. It is the true test of a cricketer’s ability to play the game at its highest level, hence, it can only be proven internationally.

The white-ball game is a frolic in the park compared to the satisfaction of Test cricket. Then again, there’s nothing wrong with choosing the financially rewarding white-ball game. In the end, it is the player’s contentment on retirement that will bring him happiness.

Having said that, cricket’s admirable records and most appreciated by cricket followers, are those recorded in Test cricket.

Ask Brian Lara or Clive Lloyd.