Hyderabad, Nov. 6: Batting coach Vivek Jaisimha, who resigned owning moral responsibility for the Hyderabad Ranji Trophy side’s record low total of 21 against Rajasthan this week, feels more than blaming the side, selectors or the coaches, everyone associated with the Hyderabad Cricket Association should look in the mirror, and change.

Vivek was understandably upset with the system. “When I came in, relinquishing my post as a match referee, they (HCA officials) said we would work with fresh blood. All three teams picked for the Moin-ud Dowla had a good mix of youngsters from the U-19 and U-22 levels. I happened to be the coach of the champion team (the Hyderabad President’s XI). It had a good balance. All the young guys — Benjamin Thomas, Neeraj Bist, Kaneeshk Naidu, B. Sandeep, Ravi Teja — performed really well. In fact we managed to triumph with sheer fresh perspective and the belief that we could win. These guys have dreams, they are hungry to play for the country. On the contrary, most of the players in the senior side have become stagnant and the benchmark has eroded, and is set so low. There’s nothing to aim for, no one to emulate,” Vivek told this newspaper.

“When we played, we had so many players to look up to. Azeem, Vijay Paul, Narasimha Rao, guys who were getting so many runs that one day we wanted to get there too. Right now, as a junior coming into the team, it’s a pity that you have to set your own standards. Who are they going to emulate? Someone who out of 130-odd innings has four hundreds and an average of 18?” Vivek questioned.

“In the final of the Ranji Trophy Hyderabad won in 1987, we were 110 for 5. Then, Arshad went on to score 174, and Azeem got a hundred (114). In the second innings, Vijay Mohan Raj got a double century. The seniors delivered. Such commitment is totally missing now. You’ve got players who are happy to be in the 11 or 15 and are content scoring 20 runs because others have got even less. That mindset must change,” Vivek added.

“How much ever you plan or pep up, the players have to implement it when they go out on the field. That will happen only if they are hungry to do so,” Vivek said.

Vivek was also highly critical of the establishment. “Everyone is bound over here. The system is so messed up. Vihari, Sandeep, Parth Jhala, these guys have done very well in U-22 matches. They’ve got three, two hundreds in the four-day format. But they were sent to play in the U-19 one-dayers. It made no sense. The Rajasthan player (Deepak Chahar) who demolished our senior team is an 18-year-old. It’s a young man’s game. You need the arrogance of youth and the fresh perspective they bring,” he said.

Where does the rot lie? “All of us are responsible for the state of Hyderabad cricket,” Vivek says, adding, “It starts with the club secretaries, who want to play safe and protect their interests. Now, as a club secretary I am ashamed. We have allowed all this to happen. The role of the club secretaries is to nurture cricketers who can play for Hyderabad one day than rely on connections to get their wards into the junior sides. The responsibility of making the league competitive rests on them. I am sure there are many good players who have given up cricket in the last 10 years.”

“Every single guy who has been on the HCA committee in the last 10 years, has to take responsibility for this. It’s time we know where we are, and begin to change.”

Vivek also hit out at former HCA secretary Man Singh, who felt former cricketers were doled out lucrative coaching contracts. “That is not a sensible observation,” Vivek said. “If former cricketers (who are qualified coaches) don’t coach the team, who else would? The footballers and the hockey players?” he shot back.

Talking about the standard of the game, Vivek feels a change has to be made at the local level. “Junior cricket will have to be played on green tops, not wickets which favour batsmen, who can’t handle the seaming ball in higher grades. By conducting domestic matches on batsman-friendly strips, we are giving batsmen confidence and bowlers nothing to bowl at,” he said.

“Also, we don’t have anyone who can bowl fast. Our bowlers basically swing the ball but along with them we need someone who is quick, to keep the pressure on. Alfy (Alfred Absolem) is a tremendous bowler who swings, cuts and moves the ball but he bowls at 120-124 kmph. We need someone who delivers 150 plus. In the summer camp there were many who did but they had not played competitive cricket. I say so what? We could have blooded them,” Vivek said.

The solution? “We should look at Hyderabad cricket from the perspective of three years. We’re already in the Plate division and can’t slip any further. Pick a promising bunch of 15 to 16 youngsters and persist with them. Give them a roadmap and show them the target. Plan their careers after analysing their strengths and these guys will finally develop. I have no doubt that guys like Vihari and Sandeep can actually play for India if they set their own standards.”