No fear factor for Indian cricket

Gone are the days when India would be afraid of going on tour to Australia or the West Indies for fear of on-field humiliation. Things are different now. Now the home teams are wary of the confident Indians. India U-19's successful trip Down Under, where they won 3-2 in the five-match series, proved that Gen Y do not fear any team and know what they are capable of, feels coach Chandrakant Pandit.

"The youngsters nowadays are pretty confident of themselves and know how to handle the pressure. There was a time when players would be wary of touring countries like Australia and the West Indies where pacers dominate. Now the mindset has changed and I could sense that before taking off," the former India wicketkeeper told DNA.

"The boys were excited to play there and the confidence was evident in the style of cricket they played. We dominated the first two games," he said. Pandit, however, admitted that over-confidence was the reason behind the two losses. "They were very aggressive in their approach from the start and got carried away a little... some over-ambitious shot selection did us in. We got a convincing start and could have swept the series. Adaptability is the key and it will only come with experience," he said.

So what is it that gives the boys so much confidence?

"The youngsters get good exposure these days. They get good facilities and get to play on different surfaces. Also they get to see a Tendulkar, Sehwag, Dhoni or a Yuvraj bat 10 times in a month which gives them confidence. The game has changed completely due to the three formats. The teams now play fast in Test matches too and set big targets." Pandit is known for his experiments in the domestic circuit and he did that in Australia too by shuffling the batting order.

"I wanted them to play in tough situations. They will get mature after more match experiences. I think the BCCI should organise at least two tours a year," he said.
The director of coaching, MCA Indoor Cricket Academy, said there are some impressive players who could make it big in the future. "I think junior cricket is shaping up well. I was impressed by some of the players' talent and dedication. Avi Barot has good technique and can be a good longer version player. Mandeep Singh and Mayank Agarwal are aggressive. Skipper Ashok Menaria is good and is a very good fielder."

Pandit feels that some of the players are good enough to play in the U-19 World Cup to be held next year. "There are 7-8 players who are good enough."