Syed Kirmani is always an interesting man to have a quick word with. An irrepressible character, smiling away to glory at all times, the former India stumper overlooked the practice session of the South Zone wing of the National Cricket Academy at Chepauk. "It has been a wonderful introduction, the zonal academy. It's a great opportunity for these under-18 lads. This is the future of Indian cricket," said Kirmani. Talking about the infrastructure, he went on to add, "It's a good set up, with all the zones all picking up the 20 most talented lads. I'm sure there'll be quite a few from this group who will be pushing the seniors very quickly."

Having coached Karnataka in the past, Kirmani is no stranger to coaching at a high level. According to Kirmani, the approach to coaching is basically the same at all levels, "There's no difference between me coaching a state side, a higher level of cricketers or these youngsters. It is the same, you see their weaknesses, point it out to them and streamline their entire program of training."

Talking about the many changes that have taken place since his time, Kirmani stressed on the difference in facilities available, "This is where it is important for me to pass on the experience I have. My times were different from the times these lads are playing in. There was no coaching camps and things like that in my time. We just saw what we could and picked it up on our own."

Every coach has a different approach to things. The most successful coaches usually have something different to offer. "Well, everyone has his own style. Each one has his own way of expression based on his experience. I explain things in my own way based on the things I went through." Elaborating on his personal approach, Kirmani made it clear that the boys had to keep their ears open "My advice to them is simple - the boys should listen to everybody. We have four coaches here. There is nothing drastically different in what we say. I will not change someone's technique unless it is really required." Retaining a back-to-the-basics approach, Kirmani went on, "So my advice would be for the lads to listen to everyone and then cross-check that with the head coach, which is me in this case."

At the end of the day, Kirmani added, there were no major changes needed, "It's just a fine-tuning that needs to be done here. It's best the boys listen to everyone and assess things for themselves. If they do that, they will get all the answers they need."

In the not so distant past, there was a common perception that coaches in the West embraced technology easily while coaches in the subcontinent preferred to be more intuitive. Kirmani insists that all that has changed. "I think these boys are fortunate to be spoon fed in this manner. They are being told at each and every step what to do. A lot of science and research has gone into this. There's a psychologist, there's a person taking care of nutrition, there's a trainer, there's a physio... All aspects of the game are taken care of. In our time we did not have anything like this."

Wicketkeepers have been in the limelight recently for all the wrong reasons. Nayan Mongia, Vijay Dahiya, Sameer Dighe... the selectors just can't seem to decide on who is India's number one stumper. Kirmani occupied the spot of first choice keeper for the country for ten whole years. He explains why India are struggling to find a man to don the gloves over a period of time. "The grooming process has not been there since the doors were closed on me," began Kirmani slowly with a touch of sadness and maybe regret.

Speaking in detail about the change of scenario, Kirmani added, "After my days, there has been more emphasis on batting ability than keeping. As a result of this, people have been looking for batters who can keep, rather than a natural keeper. There was no attempt made to identify a natural stumper. This was a neglect of the most important aspect of the game. All around, there has been a change in technique, approach and attitude by wicketkeepers."

When asked what the solution was, Kirmani hinted that academies of the kind that have been set up all across the country might well put an end to the crisis. "An academy like this is the ideal opportunity. The NCA could ask me to keep a look out for keepers. Otherwise they could select the best keepers and bring them to me for fine tuning."

Every resource is only as good as the person using it. Kirmani has a fair bit to offer to Indian cricket. If the National Cricket Academy uses him well, things could look up. Otherwise, his posting at the Zonal Cricket Academy might end up being no more than yet another disappointment for the former great.

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