During his long and illustrious career Anil Kumble, the gentleman cricketer, would have watched from close quarters the shenanigans of some of India’s finest talents, namely, Sadanand Vishwanath, Maninder Singh, L Sivaramakrishnan, Manoj Prabhakar, Vinod Kambli, Harbhajan Singh, Yuvraj Singh, Sreeshanth, Mohammed Azharuddin, et al and cringed.
Kumble, an engineer by training, and dignified at all times, would have analysed the behavioural patterns and concluded that some form of mentoring or player development management might well have done a world of good to these cricketers.
It is this motive as much as a business opportunity that has compelled him to design a programme aimed at shoring up the "life skills" of a player.
The BCCI, which has approved his concept, will pay Rs 2.9 lakh per contracted player for him to put the lads through their paces.
"We are looking at a holistic programme that should stand the player in good stead not just during his playing days but also beyond it," Kumble told MSN. "We are not guaranteeing a 100 per cent success rate. But if we can shape and mould even 70 per cent of the players, we'd be happy. We must start at the junior level because youngsters are the future of India," he added.
The programme would teach cricketers ways and means of managing success and finance, besides promoting self-sufficiency and creating awareness on doping. It will also make sure that cricketers learn to speak English, handle the media during press conferences, and conduct themselves in public and with fellow players in the dressing room.
The increasing commoditisation of sport has led to the off-field activities of star performers being under constant public scrutiny. This is true also of cricket and cricketers and barely a series goes by without news of certain star cricketers behaving shoddily.
Of course, when these stars behave badly they not only tarnish their own reputations, they bring disrepute to their team and the game. To this end, there is a growing awareness among sporting bodies (industry) of the need to manage and develop professional sporting identities via a variety of education and training processes. Excessive public scrutiny has made the industry aware of its need to manage its product, its players.
This is particularly relevant with the Association of Tennis Players which for the past 20 years has been hammering its concept at the players. The ATP, which has a most exhaustive Code and Circuit Regulations, has made it mandatory for its division one players (top 200 in singles ranking or top 100 in doubles) to attend the ATP Players University at least once on breaking into the top tier.
A fundamental concept of the ATP is that the players have an integral role in the direction, image and destiny of the men's game. In 1990 the ATP Player Council recognised that for the long-term growth of the game, it was essential to educate young players as they came onto the circuit and make them more responsible professionals.
- History and creation of the ATP
- Organisational structure and goals of the ATP
- Rules and officiating
- Tennis anti-doping program
- Anti-corruption
- Giving Back
- Player Relations & Medical Services programs
- Communication and media skills training
At this year's programme the players also acquired knowledge in personal finance, importance of the media, promoting the sport and how to enjoy their travels around the world.
Incidentally, Indian players Prakash Amritraj and Somdev Devvarman were among the 25 graduates of this year's ATP Players University.
However praiseworthy the graduation programme might have been, critics of the three-day course held at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando scoffed at it and claimed that the tennis players were holding "Mickey Mouse Degrees".
Still, it is indisputable that the behaviour of modern day tennis players is a tremendous improvement since the brat pack days of John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors and Ile Nastase. That apart, the fact, as Kumble pointed out, is tennis is an individual game where the dynamics of transgression and punishment are simpler.
A more complex team sport at the other end of the spectrum is AFL (Australian Rules Football) where the attitudinal behaviour of the players has caused endless problems to the governing body, sponsors, public and the sport itself.
Terry Coyne, one of the external behaviour trainers of AFL who was in India sometime back explained that the AFL players were victims of circumstances.
"It is a big challenge for us. The players, aged between 16 and 24, are poorly educated, have plenty of time on their hands as they have very little to do besides training and playing video games (playstation syndrome), are very fit and have what we call "raging hormones" controlling them. And, of course, as professional sportsmen, they have plenty of money to throw around.
"Our challenge at their behavioural training is to find what interest each has and to turn up the heat or lower it as the situation demands. It is a constant exercise and calls for close monitoring."
However, an AFL Research report dammed the entire player development management process and threw up some ugly conclusions. Separately, a co-ordinator at the Australian Centre for the Study of Sexual Assault, said education was not working, and players were protected not only by their team mates and teams but also by police, who were reluctant to name names.
The AFL Research report claimed that whenever there was a public scandal involving high profile athletes and sex, drugs, fighting, drunkardness, and so on, team officials went into damage control (like the Indian cricketers' alleged drunken brawl in the West Indies).
The research revealed that players generally accepted the demand for them to take part in education and training activities, but the practices and processes associated with their implementation raised issues about their effectiveness
One of the players said: "I've done heaps of workshops. They were alright the first time but you kind of switch off by the time you've done them once or twice."
The researchers called this the "Shane Warne Syndrome" in recognition of the explanation Shane Warne gave when he was charged in early 2003 with using a proscribed substance (a diuretic often used to mask steroid use). Warne had sat through many compulsory workshops and seminars designed to educate Australian cricketers about drugs in sport. The problem was, to paraphrase Shane Warne, "I sat in those seminars. But I didn't listen".
Fortunately for the Indian cricket system, the Indian cricketers are not as badly behaved. They have a number of role models (Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman) to look up to. This apart, the fact that a cricketer of Kumble's temperament, stature and background is pushing the programme would work wonders on those from less fortunate backgrounds.
Kumble who has seen the action from the other side would also bring the best resource persons aboard and this will surely make a big difference to the outcome. But do not expect quick results. The sport requires aggression and sometimes that can be wrongly channelled. And it is at such times that temperament, training, upbringing, background, environment and education play a big part.
In at least one sense though, the Indian cricketers and the AFL players will have common ground. That, as an AFL administrator asked the trainers: "How will you deal with guys coming into an environment where they are instantly recognised and don't have to pay for things and get treated differently? It is a big high and easy to get used to and abuse. Unless you address that issue you won't solve the problem."
Our cricketers know the limelight only too well. Over to you Kumble.
Vedam Jaishankar is a widely-travelled senor journalist and has covered cricket in all the continents. He is also the author of Rahul Dravid, a biography
