145;Santh one barrel in opening attack146;

Fresh ideas don8217;t brew by themselves. You need prime movers with potboilers. Just like India coach Greg Chappell, promising 8217;surpr...

Fresh ideas don8217;t brew by themselves. You need prime movers with potboilers. Just like India coach Greg Chappell, promising 8217;surprises8217; for the touring Sri Lankans.

As the three-day camp ended here today the coach indicated how 8220;the objective was really to try a few things we are planning to use against Sri Lanka.8221; Surprises? He said 8220;we looked at a few different tactics and a few different bowling combinations8221;.

The ideas sprouted from what India8217;s computer analyst S. Ramakrishnan dished out on his laptops with a software used 8220;for the first time8221; in cricket.

The Media Centre and Media Centre Junior, giving instant replays, on the same computer that is simultaneously recording the action on field, was what Greg and the team were glued to, behind closed doors.

And, probably not too surprisingly, rookie Kerala speedster Sree Santh popped his head as the surprise vs Marvan Atapattu8217;s team.

8220;More than likely that Sree Santh would open the attack in the games that he plays. But we are likely to try different combinations at different times,8221; said Chappell. 8220;But at this stage, we would be using him as an opening bowler, yes.8221;

He talked of the 8220;pretty good8221; morale of the Indian squad, 8220;mentally and physically8221; and 8220;from the point of view of preparation, everyone is quite happy.8221; Nagpur will be a fight.

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Chappell said Yuvraj Singh and Murali Kartik were unwell with fever in the last two days.

They are better now. The only 8220;downside8221; was the absence of Rahul Dravid and Virender Sehwag in the camp.

But he said since the two join up before the match in Nagpur, it was okay. He also dismissed Dravid8217;s and Sehwag8217;s average performances in the Super Series except Sehwag in the Test as not having a 8220;big bearing8221; on India8217;s prospects in the coming series against Sri Lanka and South Africa.

8220;I don8217;t think any of them performed all that brilliantly. So, it was one of those things.8221;

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Meanwhile, India8217;s analyst, earlier, explained how his magic works. 8216;8216;Earlier, it took about four hours 8212; two hours of recording and two of compiling 8212; before a player could see a replay of his action on field,8217;8217; 8216;Ramki8217; said. 8216;8216;This is instant feedback: The replay can be seen the very next second.8217;8217;

The software was of great help for the coach and players alike in the camp. After his stint in the middle on Thursday, Sachin Tendulkar entered a long discussion with Chappell and Media Centre to work on the areas he needed to iron out.

But the more interesting use of the Media Centre will be during games. All these days Ramki, like any other fan, had to depend on the TV channel to watch replays. Now, if a middle-order batsman is expected to face Chaminda Vaas during his second spell he can get an instant replay of Vaas8217;s first spell to find out what is in store for him.

Media Centre Junior is a portable version of the same tool, an I-pod to the full stereo that can be distributed to all members of the team.

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8216;8216;Players today listen to music before entering the field. With the portable Media Centre, they can listen to the music and, at the same time, watch some of their great on-field moments. That will boost their confidence too,8217;8217; Ramki said.

Sandeep Dwivedi

Sandeep Dwivedi is the Sports Editor at The Indian Express. He is one of India's most prominent sports journalists, known for his deep analytical insights and storytelling that often goes beyond scores and statistics to explore the human and cultural side of sports. Professional Profile Role: As the Sports Editor, he leads the sports coverage for the newspaper and the website. Weekly Column: He writes "The Sports Column," a weekly feature where he provides sharp, narrative-driven perspectives on the biggest sporting news of the week. Podcast: He is a frequent contributor to the "Express Sports" podcast (Game Time), where he discusses evolving trends in cricket and other international sports. Areas of Expertise While Dwivedi covers the entire sporting spectrum, his work is particularly noted in the following areas: Cricket: He provides extensive coverage of the Indian National Team and the IPL. He frequently analyzes the leadership styles of figures like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Gautam Gambhir. He is known for tracking the transition phases of Indian cricket and the evolution of specific players like Kuldeep Yadav and Rishabh Pant. Athletics & Olympic Sports: He has written extensively on Neeraj Chopra’s rise in javelin, the nuances of Indian shooting, and tennis legends like Sania Mirza and Leander Paes. Human Interest Stories: A hallmark of his writing is his focus on the struggles and backgrounds of athletes, such as the sacrifices made by Shafali Verma’s father or the "silent battles" of veteran players like Cheteshwar Pujara. Notable Recent Work & Themes Leadership and Dynamics: Recently, he has written about the dynamic between Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma, arguing that personal friendship is not a prerequisite for team success. Sports & Culture: His articles often intersect with global culture, such as his deep dive into the 100-year legacy of the Harlem Globetrotters and their role as American soft power during the Cold War. The "Grey Areas" of Sport: He often addresses sensitive topics like the mental health of cricketers post-retirement, the "outrage industry" in sports broadcasting, and the impact of fan-wars on the game. Tenure and Experience Dwivedi has been with The Indian Express for over three decades. This experience allows him to provide historical context to modern sporting events, often comparing current crises or triumphs to those of previous generations. You can follow his latest work and columns on his official Indian Express Author Profile. ... Read More