“Maninder Singh who made his Test debut at the young age of 17 and soon earned a reputation as the best leg spinner after Bishen Singh Bedi is today a Test discard. A master of flight and spin, this 23 year old Delhi tad was dropped at a time when he was shaping well in the international arena. In fact, his outstanding bowling recently helped Delhi enter the Ranji Trophy final. In a recent interview, Maninder spoke about his “premature” debut and his disappointing exclusion from the Indian team at a time when he was gaining in confidence.” You are generally considered a protégé of Bishen Singh Bedi. How did be help you in your bowling?
When I started off I was coached by Gurucharan Singh. I used to regularly attend his camp at Delhi. Luckily for me, Bisben Singh Bedi started visiting his camp. learned a few things from him and he was also very impressed by me. So when the Ranji Trophy practice for the Delhi team took place, Bishenbhai asked me to join them. I was only 15 then and it was a great morale booster for me that such a great player had asked me to come and practice ‘with him, And that was the turning point of my career because during that time he taught me a few important things with regard to bowling.
What quality in Bedi attracted you?
Actually what basically attracted me was that he is a Sih, I am a Sikh and he was left arm Bowlersoam I. Also, I used to tell my people at home when I was just five years old that I will become another Bishen Singh Bedi one day. I must have just. said it at that time but that aim was always at the back of my mind all the time that I’ve got to be famous, as famous as Bedi. I also felt if Bedi could become famous why couldn’t I, if worked hard. This helped me a lot Do you think your early debut at the age of 17, did not give you enough time to mature as a bowler?
Tow think that one should have enough experience before one gets into the international arena because I had played only ‘one cricket before my Test debut and I think it was not enough for me to mature.
What was your feeling when you bowled to great batsmen like Miandad in your debut Test?
I was too young then though I was good ‘enough. I feel it was too early to play international cricket. I think I should have played two or three seasons of first class cricket before bowling to such greats.
Lot of catches were also dropped off your bowling in your debut series. Did that come in the way for your getting a good confident start?
No, I have no complaints.
So can we say that you have not got the right type of wicket on your foreign tours to suit your bowling?
No, that is not true, I have bowled well abroad but I think I have not been Iucky enough to get wickets. I feel luck also plays an important role in bowling.
How about the Indian wickets? Do you find them dead?
I feel if bowler is good be must be able to strike on any type of wicket. Well if you don’t get wickets at least bowl well. For me, if Tam bowling well, whether I get wickets ‘or not does not bother me. Most of the time in India we get batting strips but you shouldn’t complain because Sometimes batsmen also get a bad wicket
Which country’s wickets have helped your bowling?
I have always enjoyed bowling in Sharjah. England wickets have also suited my Dowling but people say it is too cold and it is difficult for the spinners to even grip the ball. But when I went in 1986 the summer ‘was quite good and I was lucky enough to do well. l enjoyed bowling at Lahore too.
What is so special about the Sharjeh wicket?
It is not the wicket alone that makes one perform well, it is also the atmosphere. ‘Sharjah is a neutral place and so when you get into the ground you can feel the ‘emotions of the Indian spectators. You feel like performing and the whole crowd is always intensively into the game.
Do you think you are going through a Jean patch?
No. I think I should have played against the New Zealand team in the Test series. The wickets were very helpful and also I was bowling well. I think that had I been given proper chance against them I could have easily got 20 to 25 wickets, Getting about 25 wickets from three Test matches you can imagine the confidence it would have given me. I have bowled well in the ‘one day matches against New Zealand, I bowled well at Sharjah and Asia Cup, So! am bowling well this season
There are a lot of good bowlers who can also bat well. Do you think your weakness 2s a batsman could have contributed to your exclusion from the team?
My idea of cricket is that if you are a genuine bowler you should be a genuine bowler and if one is a specialist batsman he should be a specialist in batting. Specialization must be encouraged. I am totally against a player who can bat a bit, bowl a bit, and field a bit. I don’t think this should be taken as the criteria either for selection or to drop a player.
Did the altercation you had with Manoj Prabhakar also go against your selection?
It was blown out of proportion. Everyone in life makes mistakes and I think people learn from mistakes. Right?
So has any of the seniors pinpointed what is lacking in your bowling right now?
I think the time has come for me to analyze myself and see what is lacking in me and what I need. At this pint if at all I listen to anybody, it will be only to my coach Gurucharan Singh.
Has Gurucharan Singh given you any tips recently to make your bowling more effective?
No. I have not seen him for a long time because I was busy touring with the Indian team and also due to the tight Ranjit Trophy schedule. After finishing all these, I am now planning to go back to him and sent myself out, I don’t think I have any problems as such but whatever little there are, he would be able to set them right.
You have been to the West Indies before. Have the wickets over there suited your bowling?
Thad a lot of confidence and I would have performed well there. But then that is life, you win some, you lose some.
It was reported that once when you were dropped you were terribly moved. How did you take the axing this then?
Well, when you have performed well and when you deserve to be selected and yet suddenly you are dropped, well, anybody would get moved. It is quite natural and if you don’t get moved it means you have got no emotions.
What was your most memorable moment?
It was when I got 4 for 22 against Pakistan at Sharjah in 1986. We were all out for 144 and they had a good start but I got four important wickets in two overs those of Shoaib, Javed, Mudassaor and Tmmran. But it was disappointing that yet we Test the game by three wickets.
Any milestones?
No. I now take my life day by day which I think, is a better idea because you can enjoy it more.
Team For Spain
BANGALORE: A 16 member Indian “B” team is likely to take part in a four nation hockey toummament in Spain from June2 to 4, The squad, led by right winger Ram Prakash Singh was finalized after a three day trials last month,
‘Apart from hosts Spain and India, the other two teams taking part in the three day ‘competition are Argentina, and Poland,
In all likelihood, there will bea couple of changes in the team. Forward Kirpal Singh is yet to reportto the camp while halfback Parshat Singh is said to be busy with examinations. It is not known who the replacement would be in case the two selected players are not available, in any event, Kirpal certainly jeopardized his position by not turning up for the training:
Article extracted from this publication >> May 19, 1989
