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Journalism of Courage
EIGHT years after his demise was announced on national television, Syed Abid Ali aims to prove that reports of his death were greatly exaggerated. The former India all-rounder has been far more reclusive than his contemporaries but will be back in the spotlight over the next fortnight as coach of the UAE team at the Asia Cup.
First, the ‘death’ episode. It was back in 1996 that Abid Ali underwent bypass surgery. Somehow, news got out that he hadn’t come round and the TV channels picked it up. India were on tour in England and condolences flowed, especially from his former mates as Indian cricket mourned the loss of a ‘‘honest servant’’. One journalist even called, asking him if he was alive!
Today, Abid Ali has the sense of humour to laugh at that but he’s on a dead serious mission. As the guiding light behind the UAE team, Ali has, in the past three years, played a quiet but successful role behind the scenes..
After 22 years of playing first-class cricket for his beloved Hyderabad and South Zone, apart from India, and coaching since 1978, Ali had the best credentials when the UAE came looking in 2001. He always believed in ‘‘taking a side at the bottom right to the top’’ — he’d already done that with the Andhra Pradesh team — and so jumped at the offer.
‘‘When I was with AP we initially had a tough time but, when I left, they were good enough to be in the Elite division.’’ The journey from Hyderabad to Dubai via his current home San Francisco (where he’s lived since 1980) has certainly been eventful.
For one, it’s witnessed a rise in the standard among the Associate Asian countries. UAE have won the ACC trophy for three times in a row and are now the undisputed leaders of the non-Test Asian world. Quite a change from the stragglers of the 1996 World Cup, still quite awe-struck at their second appearance on a big stage. From a motley bunch of expats, India, Pakistan Test and one-day rejects, the team currently represents the ‘‘entire spectrum ’’ of the Emirates.
So what has really prompted the change? ‘‘The team is fitter and mentally stronger than ever before.’’ And this has largely got to do with his coaching philosophy. ‘‘Most important thing is athleticism. If you are fit and athletic you can take on any thing in any sports, I therefore strongly believe in speed, strength and endurance. If you have these you can excel in anything.’’
Ask him to name his best players and he goes all coy, like a parent. ‘‘All are good’’. Then reels off a few names. ‘‘Aslam Saeed, Arshad Ali, Khurram , Maqsood… you will hear about them shortly,’’ he says with pride.
At the Asia Cup UAE will need all these names to perform as they look to wage an unequal battle against the two big brothers India and Sri Lanka in the group stages. Ali though remains unfazed and is ‘‘hopeful’’ of his side acquitting themselves well. ‘‘They are two big sides but we are not looking at anything big just look to play the game with an attitude as I should be and I will be happy. I tell them you should always be together and only then will you improve.’’
