LUCKNOW: Former Zimbabwe captain and Lucknow Super Giants coach, Andy Flower, is upbeat about the Lucknow franchise's prospects in the IPL and feels that the team is “well rounded” and balanced.
Talking to TOI, Flower also speaks about the bright future of Team India and his own experiences as a cricketer and a coach.
How much different the IPL is going to be in the next edition with the home and away format to be restored? Will it be a big challenge to the teams?
During Covid pandemic, no one liked being effectively locked up and restricted. However, it not only allowed the teams to have a base and have a lot of time for training out in the nets but also to do physical training. So even though there was a feeling of being restricted, there were some very positive things from having that time available without the trouble of getting in the way. Now, the trouble time is going to be an issue again and the tournament will be much more tiring and will give less training time. It will be a challenge but it is perfectly normal for cricketers. And I think it is a challenge that everyone is looking forward to.
What are the improvements LSG is looking at from last edition? Are they massive or can LSG handle it well?
I think we had a very good first season. We won a lot of games and we are proud of the way we played. Of course, as a principle in life, we will continue to improve as much as possible. We are looking at a very efficient preparation phase and hopefully that would place us in a good state for the tournament.
What are the areas that need to be looked at by LSG during the upcoming auction? What are the vacancies that the team management looks to fill up to make it a well rounded side?
I think we were a very well-rounded side in the first edition actually. We had a number of all-rounders and that will be the case again. We have Krunal Pandya and Marcus Stoinis to allow us to easily balance the team. We haven't got Jason Holder at the moment but we will see how the auction goes. I think we have a well balanced squad as it stands even at the moment. With some wise decisions in the auction we hope that balance is achieved.
You were one of the premium batsmen in the world during your time, how do you think you would have handled T20 cricket personally as a batsman?
I think I would have loved it. It would have been great fun. I might have had to get in the gym and put on a little more muscle to play T20 more effectively. But that’s part of how the game improves and how the individuals improve to keep up with the fast and modern world.
What was the highest point in your international cricket career, especially against India?
I made my Test debut against India and that was a great source of pride for me. My first Test away from Zimbabwe was in India as well, in Delhi. Playing against great cricketers like Kapil Dev and Sachin (Tendulkar) was always a highlight for me. It was great to be on the same playing field as them but also to watch them from up close with their gloves on. Some of my playing memories are obviously beating India in the 1999 World Cup which was very exciting for us. When I was coaching against India and came with the England team and won out here in India, it was a huge achievement. My fondest memory is about the atmosphere in India when a series is going on. It is lovely.
