OLD SCHOOL NEW BEGINNINGS

But Ganesh isn’t being pompous. When you have lived at R-45, 15th Street, Annanagad in Chennai for the last 13 years, brushing shoulders with stars is an everyday affair. The above location has been in the address books of several past and present cricket stars as this happens to be the home for MRF Pace Foundation trainees. As for Ganesh, he is the long-standing warden here.

As one looks at the present occupants of this house of pacers noisily enjoying the lunch in the dinning room lined with pictures of the legends of the game, not one face looks familiar. They are promising juniors or Ranji players, who dream of emulating several internationals who have sat at the same table in this 20-year-old institution. Fourteen MRF products have played for India and international stars such as Chaminda Vaas, Mohammad Asif, Mitchell Johnson and Simon Jones have fond memories of their trips here.

But now, the foundation finds itself at the crossroads. 2008 has brought about a few changes. Aussie legend Denis Lillee trains the bunch of fringe players, but TA Sekar, the chief coach and the face of the foundation in India since inception, isn’t by his side. Earlier this year, Sekar parted ways with MRF as GMR signed him to coach the Delhi Daredevils IPL side.

Also missing from Lillee’s huddle are India’s national team pacers, who usually turned to MRF whenever they were out of the team, dealing with bowling flaws or preparing for the season ahead. The BCCI’s recent diktat to its players happens to be reason for this. MRF is now out of bounds. The cash-rich body, after feeding from the fertile pace factory during its modest days, has altered the travel destination to Bangalore now. Ambitious plans are afoot at the National Cricket Academy these days.

Sunil Dev, a senior member of BCCI’s NCA committee, minces no words. “We have asked our cricketers to stay away from the MRF Pace Foundation. During the off-season, future players and even those who aren’t on international duty will now spend time at the NCA, where we have appointed a bowling coach in B Arun. And once the NCA is shifted to a bigger place, we intend to start a specialised pace wing as well.”

But with Lillee around, and the bowling coach of the Ashes victory fame, Troy Cooley, about to land at MRF, there are a few helpless calls being made from Bangalore to Chennai.

With or without the stars, it’s business as usual at the MRF Pace Foundation. There is certainly a feeling of hurt about the BCCI snub, but S Senthilnathan, who took over from Sekar, puts fears about the institution losing its relevance to rest. “This institution came into existence 20 years back with the intention of producing fast bowlers. And it will continue to do so. If we can train players who will make it to the Indian team, that’s all we want. That’s our only aim,” he says. It’s quite clear that his posture isn’t aggressive as he repeatedly refers to the BCCI as the parent body. “In case they want us to help them in the future, we will welcome the move with open arms,” says Senthil, with a grin this time.

Opinion divided
The NCA’s proactive role in the development of senior cricket comes after two high-profile appointments: Dav Whatmore as the director of operations and Ravi Shastri as the chairman. It isn’t a finishing school for junior cricketers anymore, but the happening hub for the national team. But Dev does say that the committee had been divided when it came to the decision on MRF. “Ravi and Whatmore were of the opinion that MRF Pace Foundation should be in the loop, but the others in the committee shot down the suggestion,” he says.
Explaining the reason for the decision, Dev says that the BCCI now wants a central coaching system where the players get uniform advice. “Earlier, there have been cases when a bowler got confused by too many suggestions. Now, since we have the resources, we can avoid such a situation,” he says.
Interestingly, that was one problems that MRF faced in the past. Ask Lillee if he had seen his wards returning to MRF with flaws in their techniques once they spent time with the state or national coaches and it brings a smile to his face. “Yes it happens, but not all the time. These guys are smart. They know what is best for them, they know the difference between good and bad advice,” he says.
Apparently, Irfan Pathan didn’t use the filter and that meant a career-threatening slump. He returned to MRF and sorted out his problems and that, according to Sekar, was one of the high points of his coaching career. “Over the years, trust develops between coaches and wards. Whatever you say, the player will return to the place where he knows things will be sorted out for him. Even before leaving for Pakistan, Irfan was here. But since I wasn’t connected to MRF, I took him to a different net to practice,” he says.

Top-class facilities
Lillee gives another reason behind the MRF products returning to their first school despite graduating to the bigger league. “The facilities here are top-class. They have a home to stay where all their needs are taken care of. Besides, I am not a coach with a frown on my face. Who wouldn’t like to be in such an atmosphere,” he asks.
The atmosphere that Lillee speaks about is quite evident in the dinning room as the trainees, after a luxury ride in the coach from the net session, zero in on the aromatic hot cases placed on table. The dietician has ordered pasta today, besides a spread that caters to the taste buds of players with varied eating habits. Though the NCA has improved over the years, Harbhajan Singh’s famous outburst over the quality of food there, the one that got him suspended, comes to the mind.
As the plates get empty, one catches up with Salim Veragi, Baroda’s next big pace find who hails from a village not far from Munaf Patel’s Ikhar. “I have improved immensely after the stint here. Like Munaf, the association sent me here and I know why now. There’s nothing to complain,” he says. He quickly adds that trainer Ramji’s 5 km jog, 400 meter sprint and the never ending drills are punishing.
Lunch hour is over and the warden Ganesh shouts out that it’s time to leave. Not being among stars might see Ganesh stop throwing names for a while. But, maybe, in the future he’ll speak about a present-day occupant of R-45 who just couldn’t resist a plateful of pasta.