Master Class Session 9
Mar 30 2007
Pushing the bar with Mohammad Kaif
This was a Master Class session with a twist. The boys may have been kept waiting awhile, but it was worth it. Mohammad Kaif, who had put aside his disappointment at not being selected for the World Cup team, showed a rare insight on how relevant it was to put one’s heart into the present moment. Kaif was more forthcoming than the boys in making their introductions. The brief interaction turned into a one-on-one session as boys took turns in posing queries to India’s answer to Jonty Rhodes. Soon the fact that Kaif was sharp, and not just on the field, became very obvious. Once the boys took to the fielding drills and instructions, Kaif singled out Kadir Patel and S Prabhu to demonstrate what they could do right. For Kadir and the rest of the fielders, Kaif suggested a side-on follow up in tracking and taking the catch. With Prabhu, Kaif took a couple of minutes to show him how small, nifty movements were more important than dives. He told him that a wicketkeeper should learn to sustain his energy through the innings. |
But the session did not stop at instruction alone. Kaif went through the drills with the boys and made sure each got the hang of the job and technique assigned to him. Kaif emphasised that fielding was just as mental as one’s approach to batting. He thought it was important to have fun and to keep the enthusiasm levels up.
To call the rest of the afternoon a fielding test would be inappropriate. This went beyond any test. Kaif not only watched the boys attempting to catch the ball and hit the stumps, but he also went through the drill with the boys, showing them where they were going wrong. Ultimately, the day belonged to Kadir who managed to not only bring down the stumps three times but also to break the middle stump in half. Something about the presence of Kaif certainly appeared to electrify the boys!
The beautiful thing about Kaif’s interaction with the boys was that he kept telling the coaches and the players that while a match was in process, it was important to cheer the boys, even when someone had dropped a catch. It was all right to take the boy aside and show him what went wrong after the match, but to keep up a player’s momentum an encouraging pat went a long way.
Kaif was so moved by the experience to contribute to the progress of these boys, he promised to come back. This was a day not to be forgotten in haste!
