UAE head coach Rajput talks on challenges ahead

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00:00Yeah, I think it's a good opportunity for me. First and foremost, I'm really thankful

00:03to the ECB board that they have put me on board. I like challenges, to be very honest.

00:09And I have started with Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, another challenge UAE, because same thing

00:15happened with Zimbabwe, that they never qualified there also. So now the new cycle is starting.

00:20So we want to start up on a good note. It will take time, but definitely we will be

00:25trying to achieve our goal that we have to qualify for the next World Cup.

00:29UAE team normally plays wide ball cricket. It's T10, T20 or 50 overs. It's only wide

00:35ball. But one-day cricket is a lot of overs because it really requires a guy to really

00:40bat longer, a guy to show their mental strength. And those are the things which you play in

00:47a longer format, which they are missing. So I'm sure that my first aim is that they have

00:52to play two-day games or a three-day game so that they get used to playing longer innings.

00:57Bowlers trying to bowl 10 overs, how they should bowl on different type of pitches.

01:01So there is a lot of work to be done. But slowly and steadily, definitely we will get

01:04there because I want to have that culture that they play big innings. Batsmen consistently

01:11getting runs, that's very important. How they will get runs, that is the key because if

01:16they spend more time in the middle, not T10 and T20 because just go and blast. No, you

01:20got to concentrate on your skill level as well. So that is very important for me to

01:24really start off. And slowly, as I said, we will get there.

01:28So I have given a proposal that they have to play a lot of two-day games or A-teams.

01:32So we will try to go A-teams touring outside, say like Sri Lanka or Zimbabwe, wherever we

01:38get opportunities. So I want to make them play. So there has to be a transition from

01:42under-19 to A-team, A-team to national team. So there will be a process. And it gives the

01:49players the more opportunity to perform so that they know what is required at the international

01:54level. So I think those are the things which we have discussed. I am sure the management

01:57has really accepted those things. And I am sure in the years to come, you will see, definitely

02:03a change.

02:04To be very honest, there are a lot of young guys who are very talented. And I saw a lot

02:07of players playing in the ILC, say like Zohaib, the leg-spinner. You got Ayaan, you got Mohammed

02:12Waseem, Rahul Chopra played in this thing. So there are a bunch of good players with

02:18Tanishk Kotenda, under-19 guy, you know, they are coming up. So there are players,

02:24who is there. Now is the time for the coach to iron out. That is why I am here. I am sure

02:28like a Bombay guy, I will try to get that Khadus attitude into their head. Main thing

02:35is consistency in performance and never give up at any time. That is the key in cricket.

02:39See, challenges are there, definitely. Every country will have challenges. Here also challenges

02:43because we don't play much 2-day game or 3-day game. So that is one area where we have

02:48to play because that is where you test the temperament because you have to bat longer.

02:54That is where you test your mental skills. That is where you test a batsman's batting

02:59for longer period, a bowler bowling for 20 overs. So that, you know, they try to execute

03:05their skill. They try to say, if it is a flat wicket, they will try to bowl slower ones,

03:09yorker. So, skill improvement is there when you play longer format. So here, yes, we will

03:15try to play those 2-day games as well and make sure that we go on tours. I have suggested

03:20that we should go on to India or Mumbai, wherever, so that they can play matches. But there is

03:24again a challenge for the visa because there are some players, you know. So, we said that

03:27Sri Lanka is another bet. So, we go to nearby country and play matches. Match temperament

03:32is the best thing. And I am sure, over a period of time, we will try and get there.

03:36Yeah, see, as I said, there should be a good mix of seniors and youth. And youth are really

03:41pushing them. And I want to have a bench strength. And we have got Tanish Kote and Ayaan Khan,

03:46you know. There are lot of young guys, you know, those who are like… Lakra was one

03:49of them. He did very well in T20 as well. And you know, if you look at, there are players

03:56who are, you know, there, who are really trying to push it. Like bowlers are there. There

04:00is a fast bowler, Omer is there. Then Akif is there. So, there are guys who are coming

04:06up. And as I said, there will be mixture of seniors and youth. And I am sure, these youth

04:12will try to push the seniors. Because they have to, you know, perform well. And that's

04:17how we… Because Tanish Suri looks a very, very good batsman as well. And he has got

04:23a very good mental status. He is very, very strong. And the practice matches we played,

04:28you know, he did well. Then there is a left-arm spinner, Rahul Bhatia, who bowled very well

04:33yesterday as well. So, there are people who are going to, you know, be looked at. And

04:37I am sure, my aim is to have a bench strength. So that, they can always push. Because if

04:42you don't have a bench strength, if your bench strength is good, your national team

04:46will be there. There will be different, like T20 will be specialist players will be there.

04:50But the main thing is that I am looking at the fielding aspect. Because fielding is very

04:54important in shorter format. And if you have fielding means, you have to be fit. So, fitness

04:59and fielding go hand-in-hand. So, I am looking at that aspect. And I have told them very

05:03clearly, if you are fit, then only we will be picking you. So, you have to work on fitness.

05:08At international level, this is the area where people or the team will be judged. Because

05:13if you are a good fielding side, if you are a very athletic team, you will be a good fielding

05:17side. If you are a good fielding side, you will be really challenging the opposition.

05:21So that's how we look at it.

05:22Lovely. Nice talking to you. Thank you so much.

05:25Thank you very much. My pleasure.

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