A learning experience for a veteran coach
dubai — It’s not just the players, even coaches need to adapt to different formats in modern cricket, according to Sindhis coach Tom Moody.
The former Australian player has never coached a T10 team before joining the Khaleej Times-backed Sindhis in the second edition of the T10 League.
“I think from a coaching perspective, it’s doesn’t matter what format you are involved in, you are constantly looking to evolve and trying to stay ahead of the curve,” the former Sri Lanka coach told Khaleej Times in an exclusive interview.
“Even in T10 cricket, the basics are really important. Also you need to be open minded to adapting and changing.”
Remarkably, bowlers have given the batsmen a run for their money in a tournament where batters are expected to thrash them in every over.
“I think bowlers over the years have found a way to adapt to shorter formats,” Moody said.
“Most importantly bowlers have found different variations so they are not the lambs to slaughter. Yes, shorter formats are in favour of the batsmen, but bowlers are still very much in the contest.”
But the Sindhis coach admitted that cricket’s newest format will face a challenge to gain a foothold in big cricket playing countries.
“So far it has been really successful in the UAE. Whether we will see it in another country is another question,” he said.
“In a cramped season, fitting in another format is going to be difficult, so something will have to be sacrificed. I think that’s going to be the challenge for the growth of this format,” he added.
“But you would be crazy to predict that this format is not going to grow, but it’s a case of how it is going to grow. It’s the challenge for the cricket boards around the world and also the ICC.”
Moody, however, says coaching a T10 team has been a learning experience for him.
“The privilege of being a coach in franchise cricket is that you get a chance to work with all sorts of different people from all sorts of different cricketing backgrounds and cultures,” he said.
“So it is a lot of fun and it’s also a platform where you are constantly learning because you are working with people that have got different experiences from different backgrounds. They bring new ideas to the table.”
His team were back on track with a nine-wicket victory over Kerala Knights on Thursday after having lost the first game to the Mohammad Shahzad-inspired Rajputs.
The Afghan wicketkeeperbatsman’s stunning 16-ball 74 may have demolished Sindhis in the opening game of the tournament, but the Sindhis bounced back in style as the 47-year-old Indian spinner Pravin Tambe’s four wickets in one over earned them an emphatic win over the star-studded Kerala Knights in the second game.
“I think winning and losing, you need to take it in perspective. A game can be snatched away from you by one individual with a brilliant performance and we experienced that on both hands,” Moody said.
“We saw a brilliant individual performance last night from Tambe. And in the first game, Shahzad was mind-blowing. I don’t think any side could have weathered that storm.”