BASIL SYLVESTER PINTO
PANAJI
Not many may recall David Johnson in the Indian cricket circuit. The former domestic pace bowler from Karnataka earned only two Test caps and was part of a few other one-day tours without getting a look-in, into the Playing XI. Probably playing in an era where two of the spearheads were fellow Karnataka pacers, Javagal Srinath and Venkatesh Prasad went against his favour. But the player-turned-coach has no regrets. He enjoys giving back his experience to the game he dearly loves, as a coach.
The former India player and coach of Goa Tuskers side at the GCL 3 spoke to The Goan in an exclusive interview on the eve of the BCCI-approved T20 tournament to be held at GCA Academy Ground Porvorim from Saturday. Following are the excerpts:
q: How did the opportunity to coach the Goa side in GCL arise?
David Johnson: (Shadab) Jakati is a very close friend and he came to Arvind Reddy who owns the Bellary Tuskers (KPL), a side I have been coaching for the last two years. Through that, I got to coach the opportunity to coach the Goa Tuskers side for GCL 3.
q: What are your qualifications attached to your CV as a coach?
DJ: I am a BCCI Level 3 Coach having coached the U-16 level India side as well.
q: What is your first impression of the Goan Tuskers?
DJ: I had a look at them today. It is a pretty decent side. It is a T20 game, and on a given day it requires one or two players to deliver the results.
TG: Having played at the highest level as a Test bowler, how would you opine is the level of our side and particularly, the pace bowlers?
DJ: They are pretty decent bowlers. From the time when I was a player to now, Goa are much better. In our days, Goa was very weak. They are picking up gradually and they can improve further. In the coming years, they will definitely improve.
q: You have played for Karnataka which has always been a force to reckon with. Coming from such a dominant structure, what would be your advice to GCA to improve their standard of performance?
DJ: Basically, at the grass-root level you should get very good coaches. Ranji side is almost a side and convinced to the next level. The Karnataka players coming to play that level are really good. There should be extra matches played for the U-16, U-19 level for them to come and play for the Goa (senior) side and then go on to play for the country. There should be lot of school cricket and I would not know, but GCA should ensure that this is the right age for the cricketers to play many matches.
q: You have played only two Test matches for India. From your personal experience, what advice would you give cricketers who get an opportunity to play, play for a longer time?
DJ: You have to have the passion for the game. In our days, it was only passion with no money involved. We loved the game. But now since the IPL came to the fore, cricketers are paid very well. It has become 50-50 of both (passion and money). To play at the highest level you should have passion. Only with passion you can put in that work. Without hard-work, you cannot reach the highest level. India is a large country with many cricketers who want to represent their country. But there are only one or two spots available it is very difficult. You have to be honest with yourself, work hard, do your best and only then you can achieve.
q: Test cricket has seen even 350 plus runs scored in a day. Are the playing conditions nowadays so loaded in the favour of the batsmen?
DJ: You cannot say that. Indian wickets have always been flat from the 90s till now. It is now that they are trying to make quick wickets in the country. That is the reason why batsmen have been dominating around the country. But if you make proper, bouncy wickets, they would not be scoring so much. There is the influence of the T20 and 50-over games as well, where batsmen play more strokes now compared to the earlier days. For example, in the earlier days, if 50 balls were left (Test), only 10-20 runs were scored.
q: In your brief international Test career, what have been the memories?
DJ: I had got Ponting out which was turned down. In those days, Test cricket was played to a packed stadium which was a good experience. Playing under Sachin’s captaincy was another good experience. I toured many countries like Sri Lanka, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand in the one-day squad without getting any opportunity. I came in for the one-dayers but did not get to play. That was when I decided I was a Test Cricketer. I got to play two Tests. Playing for such a large country itself is a great honour.
q: What advice did Sachin Tendulkar give you under whose captaincy you played?
DJ: He was a very good captain, but a man of few words. He only wished me best of luck and told me to do my best.
q: India recently toured South Africa and played across formats. In the Test series, they started with losses, losing the series before ending with a win. Do you think the win was a flash in the pan or something that would continue in England, Australia?
DJ: The team that we have now, is built to play on any wicket. What was happening in Indian cricket, it was all in the mind. Most of them before going on tour were only thinking of pace and bounce. Now with Virat Kohli and other players around him, especially Dhoni, they have definitely made youngsters feel no fear and they are proving it. When you have class and great talent, a little more bouncy ball will not harm you. That is what they proved.
q: How would a tournament like Goa Corporate League help local talent?
DJ: It will definitely help. It will be played under lights. Many youngsters will get an opportunity. Goa is more (of) football and it will take cricket many years for the level to come up and get better. These type of tourneys will encourage youngsters to something really to happen.
q: What is your advice to upcoming cricketers, especially pace bowlers?
DJ: You have to work hard and believe in yourself. Every time you go and play. As a pace bowler, even if the wicket is flat, you just come and bowl whatsoever the wicket is – green top or flat. You come and bowl to your strengths, give your 100 per cent and automatically you will get results. Many of them see the wicket and try. But in their heart, they give up. Even the captains support that. If the bowler goes for one or two boundaries, he changes them. He has to give them confidence, their space to get the wickets. Let them bowl.
