CHENNAI CONDITIONING CAMP – FEBRUARY 7-11, 2001

The first phase of the conditioning camp, to finalise the Indian cricket team for the series against Australia, started at the IIT-Chemplast ground on February 7th. John Wright, the first foreign coach of the Indian cricket team, started the camp in right earnest, having already charted out a rigorous training schedule for the 25 probables (From the early morning start at 8.00 a.m. till about 1.00 p.m. at IIT and thereafter an evening session at the gym and a game of water polo at the MRF Pace Foundation).

Wright, speaking to media persons, said that the camp was a fine opportunity for the think-tank to look at the probables before the important series against Australia.  Prominent visitors to the camp included Anil Kumble, Kris Srikkanth, Srininvas Venkatraghavan and Geoff Marsh (who is preparing a paper on Indian domestic cricket). 

Anil Kumble who was extended an invitation to the camp by the coach Wright, was seen discussing a few points with Harbhajan Singh and the other spinners in the camp.   The leggie who is the most successful bowler for India in home tests against Australia (having taken 32 wickets from four tests) will be missing the action in the forthcoming series because of surgery on his shoulder.  Speaking to mediapersons, he said that though it is frustrating to miss such an important series, his absence should be seen as opportunities for the young bowlers like Harbhajan, Sarandeep and Murali Karthik to cement their places in the team.

Saurav Ganguly, captain of the Indian team, while addressing a joint press conference with John Wright, said that Indian team was well prepared for the Australians and that though they were on a winning streak; they had tasted defeat here in 1996 and '98.  John Wright expressed satisfaction with the way the camp was going and had a word of appreciation for Ganguly saying that captaincy had not affected his batting.  On the bowlers at the camp, he said that it was all about putting in a balanced attack, bowling with discipline and showing accuracy on the field.

Discipline, punctuality and fitness, with special emphasis on fielding, were the order of the day at the camp.  Andrew Leipus the physio of the national team, enjoys a special relationship with the boys (He calls it a 'love-hate relationship'). According to him the players have given more than 110 % in the camp.  On their training schedule he said that the players are being fine tuned with special attention being given to their leg strength, trunk, shoulders and also focus on their agility, especially while taking catches.  He said that the coach had the players on a high intensity fielding and catching training programme.  He was impressed with the young crop of players in the camp like Mohammed Kaif and Shiv Sundar Das. 

At the end of the camp the Indian skipper Ganguly said that he was impressed with the attitude of the youngsters at the camp. He also appreciated the way John Wright had been going about the job in a professional manner and that he was fully satisfied with the camp.

Chairman of the National Selection Panel, Chandu Borde and National selectors, T A Shekar and Madan Lal were at the camp, having a look at the boys and taking note of the proceedings. 

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