'Put away the knives, don't panic'
http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,24537383-23212,00.html?from=public_rss
By Shane Warne
October 23, 2008
NO need to sharpen the guillotine or write off any players just yet.
Sure, India have had the wood on Australia in their last four Tests in Perth, Adelaide, Bangalore and now Mohali. The scoreline reads: India 2 wins, Australia 0, draws 2.
Not great, but no need to panic.
Since India toured Australia we blooded some young players against a weak West Indies Test team and won comfortably.
But now comes a stern challenge from the Indians, who are always hard to beat in their own backyard, even with the best teams we have sent there.
The concerning factor for me was not that we were outplayed but the way we lost and and our ability to take 20 wickets. India didn't allow Australia into the game right from winning the toss.
When the chips are down and you are challenged as a group and as individuals, the great players and the champions stand up.
This is how you separate and define the good teams and individuals from the great.
Mohali's gone, deal with it. Say well played and carry yourself well, hold your head high. But deep down use it as motivation and keep that hunger that's inside alive.
Be the man to drag the team along and in the right direction, be prepared for whatever the opposition throws at you, fight and never give up, don't be afraid and start thinking negatives and what ifs. No doubts, or you just start hoping that someone does something, you go into your shell and start looking after your own backside and forget the team.
Which way will the Aussies go? The boys will fight in the Australian way and come back and compete in Delhi. India can be a wonderful place to play and it took me a while to appreciate the country.
I love it now, and they do pizzas! But it can suffocate you, and you can sometimes feel like you have no space. The constant noise, the fans ribbing you, the attention from press, it feels like it's coming from every angle.
This is where experience and calm heads rise to the top, and Ponting and Clarke as leaders will become crucial, sitting around over a glass and chewing the fat with the team and coming up with some new plans. Talking tactics as a group is important.
Also have your own chill-out time, freshen up the mind for a few days, and then hook into preparation. Make sure your plans are right for Indian conditions. Adapting to reverse swing and spin can sometimes be difficult, especially when you first come in. You must be sharp.
The Indian bowling from what I saw was absolutely first class and was as good as I have seen for a while in Test cricket. Ashes '05 was the last time I can remember the bowlers hunting in packs. In Mohali it was like flies around a left-over vindaloo. The Aussie boys will be itching for the next Test.
The disagreement between Ponting and Lee has been well reported but the truth is it was a disagreement, nothing more.
The skipper would have grabbed Brett after the day's play and sat down and talked it through. They both would have had input and moved on, and probably had a laugh about it. Bring on Delhi.
AuthorTopic: Put away the knives, don't panic - Warne (Read 277 times)
