Nasser Hussain: You can't go out there without a plan
Santhosh S - 23 December 2001

Hussain sums up the Test series and what England have gained from their time in India 28k Hussain responds to criticism of his bowling tactics and talks about what might have happened had the third Test not been interrupted by rain 28k

Nasser Hussain's English team lost the first Test match in Mohali by 10 wickets and were forced to make a plan to tackle the Indians.

The plan did not let them down, helping them to be on top of the home side for the best part of the remaining fortnight.

So, while losing the series 1-0 England skipper emerged from the series a happy man.

It was a cheerful Hussain who addressed the media soon after the Bangalore Test was called off due to bad weather.

He listened carefully to the queries and answered them with a certain amount of conviction, which is very rare these days.

Hussain was in full control dealing with the googlies with a straight bat. He started off cautiously saying that his young side had a tough time in Mohali and the abysmal batting was responsible for the Test loss.

Summing up the Test series, Hussain said: "We have played some good cricket throughout the series and I am very pleased with the side and the way they responded.

"Obviously losing 1-0, you don't start cracking open the champagne. I am very pleased with the way the young side has played."

The biggest gain from the tour had been the lift in team morale, team spirit and tha camararderie built up in India.

"We have grown together and a lot of credit should go to the off-the- field people for doing that."

Hussain also explained that they have enjoyed the tour of India and all the time they have spent going around without the 'siege mentality'.

"We have enjoyed everything about the tour, people have enjoyed being out there and I think that is the biggest plus when you play cricket like that as a team, that is when the results on the field will come."

Hussain answered queries on their wicket -keeper James Foster, who he thinks is the one for the future.

The English skipper revealed that Foster was very nervous through the first Test and that he got better with the series.

"He does not have to be the Stewart yet, he can be one in 2-3 years time."

The English skipper is glad to have a larger pool of players to choose from.

"More importantly, the experience they have learnt from a six-week tour of India is irreplacable.

"You can do whatever you want to do in the nets in England and stuff.

What they have learnt out here with a very fine coach in Duncan Flethcer will stand them in stead. Hopefully they can take back that to England, back to counties and pass it on to other people."

Talking about English team selection and the availability of Alec Stewart, the English skipper said that it is better left to the selectors.

"For the last two years we have been 'continuous' with selection. It is nice to hear that Alec has made himself available. Unless I am going slightly mad, we had sat down after the Zimbabwe tour and selected a side for the One-Day Internationals," which effectively ruled out Stewart's chances.

When asked about the a few not making the tour on security grounds and that the fears were unconfounded, Hussain acknowledged the fact that India was never the issue and it was all about travelling at that point of time and leaving the families behind.

He went on to add, "India has been a great place to pay cricket. Make no mistake of that!"

Hussain was once again confronted by the most prominent news item, the negative bowling tactics employed by him.

The English skipper was cool as a cucumber and took a dig at his critics, "It is not up to me to respond to your comment. You have your own opinion on how I captain the side. In general over my reign, they have been pretty good."

"All I will tell you is that we had bowled India out for 290 in the last Test and 230 in this Test. And, an Australian side came over here last winter with the bowling line up of McGrath, Gillespie and Warne and this same batting line up on a turning wicket were 570/6, VVS Laxman 281*.

"Not only I have come here with an inexperienced side with about four Tests between them.

"These are very good players, these six or seven batters you saw from Sehwag when he came out. And, you can't go out there without a plan and especially with all the noise when people like Sachin are batting, with the noise out there you could start losing. If you have a purpose out there and keep telling them (bowlers) to stick, stick and stick with it, then people will respond."

Hussain reckons that if there were full five days of cricket, they might have pulled off the win, with the ball skidding through on an uneven wicket and Flintoff hitting the deck hard.

Talking about Hoggard and Flintoff, who have made such a good impression, he said, "It is just about character. Someone like Hoggard will literally run through a brickwall for you. He is a guy with a big heart and will keep running in."

Stressing the fact that his team needs people with character, Hussain gave full credit to Fletcher for indentifying that someone like Flintoff would do well in India.

When asked about whether Ganguly should have called back Vaughan after the batsman had been given out handled the ball, Hussain said, "I don't think Sourav should have called him back."

Hussain said that the first reaction was that how could that be out?

But after having watched the umpteen number of TV replays, the English skipper had a fair idea why he was given out. Hussain said that Vaughan was upset that he missed out on a Test century and that his team was angry about losing the three wickets in that evening.

Talking about the fact that the match referee had to intervene to cool things down a bit, Hussain said, "Cricket is a tough game. It matters to Sachin, matters to Das and matters to me. If the odd word is said and the umpires and Match referee comes in and says cool it, I don't think cricket is losing. It just shows people care."

Hussain finished off the press conference on a good note by saying that the general goodwill and amity will continue for the ODI series too.

Maybe he lost the series, Hussain is one captain who has ensured that he and his mates takes home a lot more than runs and wickets.

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