Coaching a T20 side is a challenge

In his playing days,Greg Shipperd used to be a stubborn batsman who would occupy the crease for hours,scoring patiently....

In his playing days,Greg Shipperd used to be a stubborn batsman who would occupy the crease for hours,scoring patiently. To put it in his own words,his batting style was about hanging around and not getting out. A sixer for me would be if Im able to cross the 30-yard circle, the Australian laughs,when asked how he wouldve played Twenty20.

Shipperd is now the head coach of IPL2s most successful team so far,Delhi Daredevils,who also boast of some of the biggest hitters,but the 52-year-old doesnt find it ironic.

You have to go with the flow; there is change in the game of cricket and if I have played like that,it doesnt necessarily mean I still think or coach in the same manner. Its not necessary that as a coach you teach how you have played yourself. Its about adapting to the demands and coaching is a fresh phase of life, he says.

Big challenge

He does admit that coaching a Twenty20 side is a big challenge,especially when it comes to handling instinctive batsmen. I have observed that the T20 format is a game of instinct. While it requires the fundamentals to be strong,theres a need to give them the freedom to play instinctive cricket as well. I dont think with a player like Virender Sehwag,I would have had quite an impact but with someone like David Warner,whos young and needs a bit of polishing,or Gautam Gambhir,who is a technically sound batsman,it helps, he says.

Shipperd never represented Australia officially and got to play all his international cricket on the two rebel tours to South Africa during the apartheid years.

I remember the quality of South African cricket and I was blessed to have played against some of their greatest players at that time the likes of Graeme Pollock,Clive Rice,Jimmy Cook. It was such an exciting tour and I was being a part of the transformation process that helped South Africa blossom as a cricketing nation. That is as big as any international cricket for me, he recalls.

Is there any regret that being a rebel hampered his chances of earning the Baggy Green? To be honest I dont think I would have made the main Australian team there were so many talented batsmen, he says.

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Shipperd,who also coaches Victoria Bushrangers,is happy to be back in South Africa once again,and adds that this time,with the IPL,it is official.

We have a good side and we are focusing to this tournament. Last year we had a disappointing semi-final and the boys are keen to get better this time around. And I am happy that the boys are enjoying this format. And this is the indeed the best way I could play T20, he says.