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Kumble to give Indians a tech spin

The Rediff Team

A bit late in the day perhaps, but the Indian cricket team is finally going hi-tech.

After years of resistance to the concept of videotaping their performances in the nets and in match play for later review, the Indian tour management comprising coach Kapil Dev and captain Sachin Tendulkar have decided to break the mindset.

And Anil Kumble, the most computer-savvy member of the touring side, has been given the job of getting the technology up and running.

"We hope to have the camera in time to record our performance in the second Test at Melbourne," Kapil said. "We will then be in a position to study the recordings in the evenings and see how we can improve.''

Interestingly, this camera has been in use, for the last three years, at the MRF Pace Academy. Srinath and Prasad have both spent time at the academy, perfecting their actions and techniques with the help of this technology. But the team as a whole hasn't, till date, made a push for acquiring it, nor has the board taken an initiative in this regard.

Which is curious, really -- for several Indian players have over the years had first hand evidence of the utility of the video camera. Thus, when Anil Kumble had a disastrous tour of South Africa and the West Indies, and fears were expressed that his action had undergone some change, he had approached TWI who, for their part, produced for him a videotape showing, in parallel frames, his earlier action sequences and his sequences from the South African tour.

This tape helped Kumble work on changes in his action, and precipitated his comeback to wicket-taking form.

Rahul Dravid and Saurav Ganguly, among the batsmen, have at various times approached the television companies broadcasting tour games, for videotapes of their various innings in order to work on their shortcomings.

Now, the team is gearing to do it as a unit. Late? Perhaps, but at the least, a start is being made in the right direction.