The former Sri Lankan pacer Nuwan Zoysa, who will take over as Goa’s coach next season, feels that experienced players will have to pull up their socks and gel as a team if Goa’s Ranji team is to make any headway
Former Sri Lanka pacer Nuwan Zoysa believes cricket is muchmore balanced today unlike in the past when Australia used to be the mostdominant force. This scenario he feels is very good for the game.
Zoysa was in Goa for 10 days on the invitation of GoaCricket Association to share his expertise with Goa's Ranji and other teammembers.
On the shift of power, Zoysa opined “There is not a shift ofcricketing balance from x country to y. In the past Australia were the dominantforce, but now England are doing well. India have recently won the U19 WorldCup heralding their strength, while Sri Lanka have reached four finals in thelast five world cups. South Africa too are good. So this is a good situation.”
With the new Ranji Trophy season approaching, Zoysa feelsGoa’s experienced players like captainShadab Jakati, Swapnil Asnodkar, new professional-signing Manvinder Bisla,Robin D'souza and Saurabh Bandekar will have to guide the younger players ifthe team aspires to win or move up to Group B.
Zoysa believes the team can go to the next level in the nearfuture provided they gel well as an unit. “The dressing room needs to bebuzzing,” added Zoysa. Zoysa will be taking over as the coach of the team forthe 2013-14 season.
Speaking of his international career he said that despitehaving Wasim Akram as a hero, he used to bowl spin with a tennis ball as a kid.“My brother introduced me to a coach who asked me why I was bowling spin, wheninstead I should have been bowling fast. I said bowling spin was easy. I thenproceeded to bowl fast. One day Arjuna Ranatunga, our world cup-winningcaptain, came in the evening to see me bowl. I was very happy as he was such ahero. He called me to the nets the next day. I bowled Sanath Jayasuriya and heasked who I was. The next thing, I was in Sri Lankan Test team for the NewZealand tour. It was unbelievable, like a dream.”
Zoysa formed a lethal attack with Chaminda Vaas in his primeand the duo spelled trouble to some of the best batsmen in the world, huntingin pairs. “' In one of the matches, we planned Sachin Tendulkar's dismissal.Vaas normally bowled inswingers and I was an outswing bowler or bowled straighton. But I bowled an inswinger trapping Sachin LBW.” He added that Sachin, BrianLara and Saeed Anwar were the most difficult batsmen to bowl to.
