Baseball-style catching, throwing and positioning techniques may now become an integral part of India's fielding.
Baseball-style catching, throwing and positioning techniques may now become an integral part of India's fielding.
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Mike Young, the baseball expert who revolutionised Australian cricket fielding, has been appointed by the Indian cricket board as a fielding consultant on a three-week assignment.
"I know some of the Indian players being with the Deccan Chargers. But, I don't know Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid all that well. We just say a passing 'hello' to each other. I am really looking forward to knowing these guys and working with them; working with people of different cultures and enjoy the experience," Young said with a beaming smile.
The ball can really go some distance when hit with a cricket bat, but the cricketers might get a complex when they see Young giving high catches with a baseball bat. The Deccan Chargers players will vouch for that.
"The advantage of a hit with a baseball bat is it gives more revolution on the ball. Then, taking a catch off a cricket bat feels nothing," explained Young, a former Australia baseball team coach.
But having worked with the Australian team for nine years, wouldn't there be some heartburn Down Under, given that India and Australia are locked in the race for the No 1 spot in one-day rankings?
"Currently, I don't have a contract with Australia. I am here only to help the Indian players improve their game.
I am not here to tell them about the Australian team and players. Earlier, I had trained the New Zealand team but I did not discuss them when I started working with Australia. It would be unprofessional. But, if my work helps the Indian players lift their game and beat Australia it's perfectly fine. I can go to Bangladesh from here but that doesn't mean I will talk about India," he explained.
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