HYDERABAD: Who has killed Hyderabad cricket? Many factors are at play but the one that stands out is the stranglehold of coaching camps.
Ironic as it may seem, these camps that have mushroomed all over the city, have made a difference not for the best but for the worst.
They exert a bad influence on the boys and seek to push their wards into the team, irrespective of their skills. This creates disunity in the team. What is worse, coaches take sides in many camps.
“I have seen many young players losing their way thanks to the coaching camps,’’ a senior cricketer told Express.
The idea of coaching camps originated in the early 80s and has since metamorphosed into a huge money-spinning business now. Summer camps are a case in point. Their emergence has made the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) complacent to the point that it has been neglecting its own camps. In the past, there were some sincere and dedicated coaches like the late Eddie Aibara and Bhupathi.
Many top cricketers benefited immensely from their experience.
“They were full time coaches of the HCA. Strangely, there are no full time coaches now.
Players come from different camps and when they attend official team camps, the coaches change their techniques. At times, it has destroyed players’ confidence,’’ explained PR Man Singh, former secretary, HCA.
Former Ranji opener Vijay Mohan Raj, who is a level-3 coach, too believes the HCA must have a full time coach. “We should have academies like other associations,’’ he said. This year, HCA formed a cricket development panel and coaching is one of its priorities. “We have plans to open an academy,’’ said Arshad Ayub, HCA president.
But the damage has already been done. Hyderabad teams have been struggling, particularly at the Ranji level where there is stiff competition. The players are found wanting in technique, be it in batting or bowling. In the last few years, they managed to avoid relegation before finally being relegated last season. Such is the poor standard that Hyderabad’s representation in the South Zone teams or the Challenger Series or for that matter, India A has come down drastically.
