'I don't consider myself a foreign coach'

For four days, Intikhab Alam, sporting full-white gear and Pakistan cap, strolled at the Wankhede stadium after the day's play, inspecting the ground.

It was a soothing sight for the boisterous Punjab lot. The team was on its biggest assignment. They were playing Mumbai in Mumbai in the semi-final of the Ranji Trophy, a tournament Mumbai has won 36 times.

Alam brought his boys to the city five days ahead of the match to acclimatise and cajole them for what many teams consider the ultimate challenge in domestic cricket -- beating Mumbai.

The 1992 World Cup-winning Pakistan coach, who picked 125 Test wickets for Pakistan with his leg-spin, succeeded in his assignment as Punjab beat Mumbai by three wickets.

Cricket Correspondent Deepti Patwardhan caught up with the 65-year-old India-born Pakistani coach.

Punjab's last Ranji Trophy final was in 1995. What difference have you made to the side?

Looking after the team is one thing; coaching is a different thing altogether. You must have the ability of man management. You need lot of cricket psychology. Also, it was important for me to know each individual. Otherwise, you can't deal with them.

It's been a very good rapport, good understanding.

Then I worked on the skills. They are all very talented cricketers. Most of them needed confidence. They had to be told how to reach their full potential. Everybody was given a specific role -- what I expect from them, doing the right thing at the right time.

The most important factor was to build confidence in them. Give them small achievable goals, which is also an incentive for players.

Then, knowing the opposite number. I had never seen them play before, so it was important to know the past record; we worked on that also.

It takes time; you can't deliver in the first season.

The first season is always difficult -- knowing the players, knowing the system, knowing the people. But the boys have done exceptionally well.

What made you up take the assignment?

The relationship between the two countries has really developed recently. So, it is part of it; it was a good opportunity. But you have to give credit to the Punjab Cricket Association. They were the people who started all this.

For me it was not difficult. I was born in India, in Hoshiarpur; I am basically a Punjabi. The language is same, the food and culture is same. There was no problem in communicating with the players. I speak with them in Punjabi. Things really worked out well.

I didn't have any ego problem -- that I was coaching Pakistan and now I am coaching Punjab.

This is the thing I enjoy and people have accepted me.

Do you think this will start a trend? Are people from India and Pakistan comfortable about having coaches from across the border?

I think it is a step in the right direction. There is no harm, especially when you are moving on an international circuit. If people can learn from each other, there's nothing like it. The thing I have been trying to bring out is that I don't consider myself a foreign coach.

But it also depends on how much faith you have in the coach and what he is saying. His experience and background also counts.

What difference is there in the Pakistani and Indian domestic system and player?

I don't think there's any difference as far as ability of talent is concerned.

I think the domestic set-up in India is very strong.

Also, the players in first-class tournaments get good money. I was surprised at it, but very happy at the same time.

While everybody is not going to get in the Indian team, the professionals being paid is very good.

In Pakistan, they get paid, but not very well. That in itself is an incentive, so that when you get paid you know you are not wasting your time playing the game.

This Punjab team has a very interesting blend of experience, star players and youth. It is important for every team to have icons and role models. There are quite a few youngsters also in the side and they have come very good.

The key to judge the performance of any youngster is how quickly he learns from mistakes. So, on that scale, they have done very well this season.

In this profession it is very important to have patience; to say the right thing at the right time. There's always a time and place to say something, and you can easily upset people.

You could be a great player but that doesn't mean you are a great coach.

There are a lot of technological aids for coaches nowadays. What do you make of them?

There are a lot of different things. But I think there is no substitute for experience. You can educate a guy, do a grade II, grade III, but it doesn't mean anything to me. New techniques are all right but the basics don't change.

You were coach of Pakistan and now you have seen players from India from close quarters.

Do you subscribe to the view that players in the subcontinent, because they are such superstars, tend to have ego problems?

There might be one or two like that, but that's the job of the coach to put them right.

Cricket is a great leveler.

A player should have a good mind and the ability to understand the game.

Good cricketers become great because of their cricketing sense. And that comes through with experience.

I have seen some players with ego problems, but they didn't last long.

If you don't have a good attitude you will never make it in life; not only cricket.

Players from India and Pakistan have said they prefer foreign coaches. They think homegrown coaches have personal agendas and are biased...

It could be the case that players feel more comfortable with foreign coaches.

But a good coach is a good coach. It all depends on whether the boys are happy or not.

I always keep my distance from the players and do not become all that friendly.

You have a soft corner for a guy with good sense but, ideally, that shouldn't be the case.

Your job is regardless of all these things.

You have to be clean and transparent in your thinking.

What difference has Bob Woolmer made to the Pakistan team?

So far I don't think he has made any difference.

If the team is doing well you can say the coach has made a difference.

How quickly he has managed to get the respect of the team, the right combination or getting to know the players matters.

But I think there is a language barrier.

I think they don't understand what he is saying; even if they understand it is not registering.

There is no harm in getting foreign coaches if the team is winning. That's why they are appointed.

But if the team is not winning then there is something wrong.

Woolmer has been with the team for one year now but still he has not been able to get the combination right.

When you just take decisions, it is hope against hope.

You must know the guys, whether someone is technically right for the given position. Build his confidence, give him enough chances.

Don't keep on shifting; that affects!

I always felt if I dropped somebody I should have reasons why I dropped him.

There is always a reason why you are doing well and a reason why you are not doing well.

Coming to the India-Pakistan series, Danish Kaneria has done very well. Indian players are supposed to be the best players of spin. Why have they found him difficult to pick?

I have always said this is an illusion. I never agreed that Indian and Pakistani batsmen have been good players of leg- spinners.

If you analyse, you'll see that leg-spinners have always got these teams in trouble.

Kaneria is still young. I don't think it will be fair to start comparing him to any other bowler.

Leg-spinners are a rare breed and it is also important how a captain uses a leg-spinner, temperamentally.

He (Kaneria) is a good spinner of the ball. He is a little front-on, not that typical side-on action. He bowls a good googly, though I don't think his flipper is all that effective. But that will come with experience.

The more confidence and respect from the players he gets the better he will be.

Photograph: Saeed Khan/AFP/Getty Images
Headline image: Imran Shaikh