"I and captain are like married people" -- Sri Lanka's cricket coach Mickey Arthur

"I and captain are like married people" -- Sri Lanka's cricket coach Mickey Arthur

It was Mr. Mickey Arthur who gave of his services as coach of the Pakistan team for a period of three years for the Test tournament which is being held in Pakistan. Mr. Mickey Arthur who holas responsibility as an international coach for several victories and thus Pakistan was able to grab the 2017 world cup. Subsequently Pakistan went on to win 11 twenty-20 matches at a stretch and ultimately reached position one on cricket grading from position 8 or 9 and managed to keep this reputation for quite a long time. A part of the discussion that Sunday Times newspaper had with Mr. Mickey Arthur unfolds this way:

Question: Sri Lanka holds a popularity of the policy of 'recruiting for services -- chasing away'. Both last coaches had to leave before the contract was over. When entering deciding to go into an agreement with the Sri Lankan team how much of a disappointment was it or you?

Answer: I of course cannot say what other international coaches had by way of experience. I came here and made a decision to accept it because I have faith in the skills of the players. Leaving aside things that happened outside the playing field, I know what I brought with me to stimulate the players. I hope that I will be able to make them good players. At the time I leave this place several players would have reached their maximum and at the same time some players would have turned out to be the world's best players, I believe. The Sri Lankan team have to a certain extent been successful in their home-country ... but we want is for them to be successful abroad too. Finally if we reach that level ... I would be leaving with great satisfaction.

Q: That means you don't pay special attention on the 'recruiting for services -- chasing away' policy, is it?

A; That is the world we live in. For most of the time coaches get a good time framework. But unfortunately when skills are not good enough, they are removed. That then is the nature of this job. Now look at the English football sport. Just like football players, coaches too come and go. I believe that by accepting this I could bring on a special change. If I am able to make such a special change .. it will be a help for the player. Then I will be highly happy.

Q: Before arriving at a final decision with the Sri Lanka Cricket Board in relation to your job ... what other factors did you devote your attention to?

A: Truly speaking, there weren't many things to devote attention to as such. I had a feeling that there was a job that I had not finished in my international profession. I have coached three international teams. I had a feeling about each of those teams. I made a special impact on those teams. I know that I can make that impact by coming over here. I am of the standpoint that I am able to make an extraordinary change to carry forward the Sri Lanka team.

Q: The Sri Lankan team is trying to solve some issues for a period of close upon five years. It is during this crisis that you took over this team. Though we played well in Test cricket, our records in limited over cricket matches are very much below. What are your plans to uplift the standard of the Sri Lankan team in limited over cricket?

A: Some may ask to take over the team and that this is the best period. Because you know that you can take responsibility over the team, build it up, take them forward and to make the team play well only. So I will not focus attention on anything. I look at the pool of players with whom I have to work with. I study the Pakistan tournament well. From that it is possible to see into the skills of Sri Lankan cricket and the depth. It is a good thing.

Q: What is your first impression about Sri Lankan cricket?

A: All this is very good as well as positive. I am a rationalist. I know that things can be changed. Structures prepared by Ashley (de Silva) and Jerome (Jayaratna) within the high effective structure touched my heart.

Q: Can you give a detailed explanation about the transformation you effected on the South African team during the time you took responsibility as the maiden international coach?

A: That is very appealing. I will never forget our first tour which toured Australia in 2005-2006. We went with great courageous hearts. We went to defeat them. There were some experienced players in this young South African team. Even by that time Shawn Pollock as well as Jack Kallis and Mark Boucher were there. On that tour we were bashed right round. We were hammered badly and continuously. But we took every attempt possible. During the course of the one-day tournament Graeme and I and Gerald Majela, the then chief administrative of the South African Cricket Institute had a small drink in Perth. Majela came to Perth that day with the idea of giving a small support to us.

So that day we sat down together and prepared a plan. That day we prepared a rationalistic time frame. That was in 2006. We were ware that we would be returning to Australia in 2008-2009. In that same year we had tournaments with England in England, with Bangladesh in Bangladesh and with India in India. It was a massive tour which we had to play outside our country.

We made our plans that I would attend all tournaments, with the target that we would unite together and would be the first South African team winning on English soil. After that what we wanted was to become the first South African team that records a win in Australia. Having prepared these targets, we focused attention on everything.

In every decision we took; particularly in these two tournaments we focused our attention. The reason for that is circulating authority in our own country. But then touring overseas ... what we sensed was if we wanted to become number one in the world, that we have to have challenges. We won in England as well as in Pakistan. It is like the dawning of several types of work which we did. For that purpose a period of one and a half years ... to be precise two and three quarter years elapsed from the date we sat down together and prepared our plans. It is something like that what I want to do with the Sri Lankan team.

Q: What does coaching mean? To what extent is the duty of a coach important in the success of a team?

A: In my opinion, international coaching means is creating an environment which develops and contributes the players to become better. But 'distinguished' means something that cannot be estimated. So what happens in everything we do on an international level is to stand them on a good foundation instead of making them better players and a part of the foundation.

The role established by the coach takes a great importance. The environment is created by the coach. It is the responsibility of the coach to attend to the three aspects of develop the players technically, mentally and physically. It is also the duty of the coach to build up the team, preparing targets and implementing them. The only thing that the coach cannot do is going to the middle of the pitch. That is where the captain becomes a decisive factor. Therefore the coach and the captain both should come to one vision. While both of them should be tied to one target they should work together to move the team towards a correct direction.

We have Dimuth Karunaratna for Tests and Lasith Malinga as the captain of twenty-20. Whatever we do must be done with complete unity. I undertake the responsibility with directing of the captain, preparing the players and everything that could be done outside the field. When we hand over to the captain of the team, the entire responsibility of the captain is to take the players outside the field and to do what is necessary according to strategies. I will be outside the field and providing that support to him.

Q: How important is the connection between the coach and the captain within that structure?

A: It is something like marriage. It is certainly important. It is exceedingly important to rest on one page in connection with various things. It is absolutely important that you have one and the same vision. When considering the direction in which you desire to take your team, it is essential that you stick to one page. Its meaning is not that you consent to everything. But this discussion between the two of you should be open and honest. Because if you can do it ... you build up a true strong bond. You build up a true bond on trust. In the same way, if you possess any such thing ... you will be able to climb any mountain.

Q: Under the situation where the twenty-20 world cup is nigh ... what do you think Sri Lanka should do to get prepared for it?

A: I believe that the tour of India takes some importance in that connection. I know that conditions are entirely different. But the basic team with 15 players ... it can be said it is of 18 players. It becomes important in the case of a foundation which could be utilised for the future throughout. They should have the capacity to play in Australia. But unfortunately, as we are told, we have to prepare them likewise. However, making the role clear and preparation of targets is absolutely important in this tour. So we are given 8 months. We cannot go out suddenly. Preparations for that purpose have now begun.

Q: As a coach, what then is your vision?

A: What I always say is that it is creation of a distinguished environment. That thing called 'distinguished' comes in a variety of different ways. It comes through fitness, food and habits. You ge it technically, mentally and physically. This then is vital. I use a lot of terms. I would like to give roots for the players as well as wings for them to fly. Their roots are based on their technicalities. Wings ... those are different in everyone. You should allow them the freedom to develop according to their characteristics and talents. But your foundation and your roots should always be embedded deeply in technicalities.

Q: What are your personal skills where your profession is concerned?

A: There are many. I will never forget England trouncing South Africa for the first time. Our team became the first South African team that trounced both these countries. I will never forget how we achieved 438 by pursuing the total of 434 that Australia collected.

Next, undoubtedly my best achievement was winning the Pakistan and champions trophy. After that, Pakistan won 11 twenty-20 matches at a stretch. At the same time Pakistan rose to number one from number 8 or 9 in world cricket grading and held on to that grading for quite some time. That is what skills are. They have displayed there exploits with all teams. When considering South Africa, we have come first in the world in all aspects of the game when I was present.