Tags:
Journalism of Courage
THE THINKER
S Ramakrishnan
The team’s video analyst, always at John Wright’s side during a match. Records every ball for post-match analysis using Silicon Coach, collects video and data of the opposition and the Indian team, creates presentations for team meetings. ‘Ramky’ is most popular with the bowlers. Balaji, for example, has improved because of crystal-clear video analysis of where his foot lands. He now gets closer to the stumps and gets those LBW decisions. Batsmen have a chance to look at their mode of dismissal and also a change in their technique over a period of time. A former Under-19 Tamil Nadu player, Ramky has been associated with the NCA in Bangalore for the past two years and impressed Wright during his stint there. He succeeded analyst Sumit Pai, and added video analysis to the repertoire.
THE SCULPTOR
Gregory Allen King
Possibly the quietest of the three, talking only during training sessions, King is the man responsible for the players staying in shape. Makes fitness fun with his innovative drills and helps out Wright by taking over the fielding drills as well. A very hard taskmaster, unsparing of those who don’t maintain the routine, King sets the example by training as hard as the players. Post match work with the team is possibly is his key area. He spends a lot of time with the team in batches at gyms. Having joined last year from Border province in South Africa, King has settled down quickly and taken over from where the extremely popular Adrian Le Roux had left off.
THE HEALER
Andrew Leipus
The most important piece in John Wright’s puzzle. Has been with the team for close to five years and has seen the team grow; he knows the players and their needs very well. Along with King chalks out the training programme for the season and off-season period. His basic job, though, is prevention of injury and is crucial to a set-up that has a clutch of young, talented fast bowlers. Unfortunate injuries like Zaheer’s hamstring, Harbhajan’s finger and Nehra’s ankle have been beyond his control. He has managed to keep the bowlers especially in shape for a reasonable length of time. To a large extent his job is helped by the fact that now there is an increased awareness of fitness in the team. From going without a salary for close to six months at one time to being the most sought after man, Leipus has come a long way. It helps that he, like King, spends as much time as possible in the gym and makes it difficult for the players to ignore such things. Leipus’s future plan includes framing a National Fitness Programme.
