‘I need to turn things around quickly’ – Lalchand Rajput
As interim head coach of the Zimbabwe men’s national team, Lalchand Rajput has his job cut out, especially as the deal is for three months to start with, and might be extended based on the results.
To get it right straightaway will be tricky, with Zimbabwe set for a home Twenty20 International tri-series against Australia and Pakistan in July, but Rajput, the former India opening batsman, is gung-ho about the possibilities.
“They called me up and showed an interest in me. For now, the deal is for three months. After that, if both parties agree, it will be extended. I am really happy with this, because this is what I was looking for after the job with Afghanistan,” said Rajput in a chat with ICC. “Afghanistan did exceptionally well when I was the coach there, so the people in Zimbabwe must have seen something that impressed them. But yes, it’s a challenge. Challenges get the best out of me. I think people know me for that.”
Part of the challenge is also down to the recent events in Zimbabwe. The team failed to qualify for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 and then removed their entire coaching staff in a bid to start afresh.
“My first job will be to get the players ready for the triangular series. I have not yet met the players; I will go there and slowly find out everything, meet them, understand them, motivate them. There is a lot of talent there, but I need to turn things around quickly and hopefully take them to the next level. The main thing is to get the players together and get them to perform as a unit,” said Rajput.
“They want to do well like all teams do. My job is to get the best results, for the team to do well, perform better. For the tri-series against Australia and Pakistan, both strong teams, the first goal is to reach the final. Then we will take it one step at a time.”
Rajput is no greenhorn in the coaching game. A sturdy opening batsman for Mumbai, he played two Tests and four one-day internationals for India between 1985 and 1987, and turned to coaching after that. His biggest achievement was being the cricket manager of the Indian team when they won the ICC World T20 2007. That came shortly after India had failed to get past the first round of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 in the Caribbean and Greg Chappell had been removed as coach of the Indian team.
Since then, Rajput has also been at the helm at Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League and then overseen Afghanistan’s rise to being a Test nation.
“The morale in the team was very low,” recalled Rajput about his time with the Indian team. “I looked at my job as mainly to prepare and motivate the players. Performances will come. And the results were there for everyone to see.
“Afghanistan are very talented, especially in shorter versions. In coaching you are learning all the time, you pick up new things all the time. With Afghanistan, they had very simple thoughts – scoring fast; they would score 70s and get out. My job was to help them score centuries, bat long, play for time. They are very passionate about the game. That’s how we achieved Test status. It was quite easy for me, because they really wanted to do well.”
In Indian cricket circles, players from Mumbai carry with them a reputation. It’s a reputation built after years of ruling the domestic circuit, as 41 titles at the Ranji Trophy, the country’s premier first-class competition, show.
“Being a Mumbaikar, we are exposed to the tough side of cricket. It was so difficult to get into the Mumbai team in the 1970s and 1980s that everyone said it was easier to get into the Indian team,” jokes Rajput. “We have that culture. We respect cricket, work hard, take on challenges, fight … not think of the results, they will come. That’s what I bring into my coaching too.”