Pondicherry Ranji Team ropes in Alvin Kallicharran as mentor, Roberts or Garner could join

“We want to bring the best gurus. We have brought in Kallicharran. We have plans to bring in someone like Andy Roberts or Joel Garner. The point is simple, our minds are very clear; we want to have the best people in the world to mentor our cricketers,” former CAP secretary P Damodaran told The Indian Express. “The rest of the world is going for the English and Australian coaches, but we have gone for the former India and West Indies cricketers. Kallicharran was one of the finest back foot players during his playing days. At the highest level, against extreme pace, you have to have a good back foot game and our players will be benefited from Kallicharran’s mentorship,” he added.

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Damodaran asserted that the target for Pondicherry is to win the Ranji Trophy and then defend it. “We were unlucky last season. Two washed out matches cost us a place in the quarterfinals.”

Kallicharran played 66 Tests and 31 ODIs for West Indies before he went to a rebel tour to South Africa in the early 1980s, which abruptly ended his international career. The 70-year-old was coaching the kids in his post-retirement adopted home in North Carolina in the United States. “I have been coaching for the last 16 years. I met up with S Kumar (director cricket) and Damodaran, and we looked at the magnitude, what he (Damodaran) has brought in Pondicherry. It was so impressive. Damodaran’s attitude towards success, what he wants to achieve in Pondicherry, is beyond anybody can think about. Pondicherry’s cricket is only two years old now and I can see a lot of success,” Kallicharran told this paper, informing that his involvement will be for the whole season.

The southpaw hailed the CAP’s efforts to have Roberts or Garner on board. “I believe he (Roberts) is the best fast bowler I ever played with. He is best fast bowler West Indies have ever produced. And Joel Garner is in a class of his own. When we are talking about bringing in those kinds of people, we are talking about loads of experience.”

Cricket has changed a lot over the past 40 years. “They (modern-day cricketers) are playing a different brand of cricket. They are stronger, their bats are better. They develop new shots. But whatever cricket you play, you must have a sound technique. That’s where you last long,” Kallicharran said.

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He gave a low-down of his coaching approach. “You never stop hitting the ball anywhere. You try to be positive. You can be positive. Nothing wrong with that. The gaps in the field remain the same. It’s still 11 players on the field and there are a lot of gaps. You learn to play through the gaps. You have Kohli as a prime example. Young kids can learn from him, the art of finding the gaps…”

At 70 years of age, though, there could be a generation gap in terms of interacting with the players. Kallicharran disagreed. “It’s all about attitude. I have played all sorts of cricket. So, it’s all about communication. The game has changed yes, but not to the extent that you won’t understand (it). The young players make experience with you. In North Carolina, I coached the kids for all age groups. My attitude towards coaching and working with the kids hasn’t changed.”

The West Indies cricket establishment never approached him for a coaching role. “I have never been approached by the West Indies. And I don’t know if they still remember that I played for West Indies.”

Does he regret joining the rebel tour to South Africa? “I don’t want to go into that anymore. I have enjoyed my (international) cricket and I have enjoyed my County/first-class cricket. I played for 20 years and I couldn’t expect anything better,” Kallicharran said.