Avoid 'my boy is the best' syndrome : Javagal to parents

Karnataka State Cricket Association secretary and former international cricketer Javagal Srinath, addressing parents of the boys selected for the RC-KSCA Academy, Mysore, here on Thursday, advised not to fall under the illusion, “My boy is the best,” syndrome.

Sharing his own experience as to how he rose to be an international cricketer and how little interference was there from his parents, whose only interest was to see that he did well in studies, Srinath told the parents not to heed to the emotional call and instead guide their boys to practise hard without being bogged down by selection to various levels of cricket.

“‘My son is the best,’ is a feeling that even I have when it comes to my son — nine-year-old Aditya. I always feel that he is a better cricketer even at this stage when compared to others who could be better than him in bowling, batting in Bangalore alone, not to forget in other metropolitan cities or even in small towns. By having this feeling, we generally destroy a budding cricketer’s confidence and also we give emotional support at the wrong time,” he said.

The facilities provided by the KSCA for cricketers with two turf pitches — one at Gangothri Glades and another at SJCE — is of international standards. The one at SJCE can be compared to the best even in England or Australia. Hence, there will be no reason for cricketers in the future to complain about lack of practise on turf wickets, he said.

“Playing on matting wickets and on turf wickets is like playing two different games. Those were the days when moffusil cricketers hardly got any chance to play for the state. When I went for selection for Under-17 cricket team to Bangalore, I would not even look at the notice board to see whether my name was on the list,” he revealed.

“Subramaniam my mentor taught me a hard lesson once. He told me if you are behaving like this after not being considered for selection, then you do not come for practise anymore. Only if you love the game and play it forgetting about being selected should you continue to play,” recalled Srinath.

He categorically told the parents not to consider cricket as a profession as the country’s economy will not allow sports to be taken up as a profession. “What is important after being selected for the academy is not to just play for selection. Cricket teaches one of the most important lessons and that is, ‘are you a good human being?’ Once this value is understood everything becomes secondary,” he said.

Recalling how a cricketer from Mandya, Nazzir, who was then just 16 years old and he himself was 18, selflessly gave up his spot to Srinath, when he realised that Srinath had performed better than him in earlier matches, the KSCA secretary pointed out that these are the values that are important which comes from within that a good cricketer needs to have and the parents have to instill in their children.

In all, there are 60 players, 30 for under-16 and 30 for under-19 who have been selected for the Royal Challenge-KSCA Academy, said Mysore zone coordinator S Vijayprakash. The coaching which starts from June 18 will be of four days duration from Monday to Thursday.