Making the pitch better: A Wknd interview with cricket legend Mohinder Amarnath

Jimmy, as he is affectionately known, scored over 4,000 Test runs in 69 matches, shining in countries where batsmen were afraid to tour (Australia, Caribbean). He had an important contribution in winning the 1983 World Cup.

It is no surprise, then, that his autobiography is worth reading. Fearless: A Memoir is co-authored by his brother, former first-class cricketer Rajendra Amarnath, 68. “I was glad Rajender was there to help me and give me honest feedback about my career,” says Mohinder, 74.

“It was the right time. It’s good to bring out your autobiography at a time when people know you and can connect with you,” says Rajendra. Excerpts from an interview.

, How did sports shape you? Do you think it still has the same impact on players today?

Mohinder: Cricket has given me everything: recognition, people’s love and affection. He said, my mentality was very simple. Like any other human being, I was doing a job. When I was on the field, I was representing my country and it was my job to give my best. But once I finish the game, I will not talk about cricket. I will switch off. I will behave like a normal person and not carry star status with me everywhere.

I wasn’t born or trained that way. I never did anything to impress people. I kept life very simple.

Things keep changing with time. I am happy that money has come into the game and players are comfortable. At the end of the day, when you represent India and establish yourself, you are welcomed everywhere.

But, to become a role model, you have to play for a long time. This is still true. Smaller formats like pizza or vada pav. Quick; People come and go. People appreciate you only when you stay in the game for a long time.

, What did it take to be great in the era that you defined?

Things were different in our times. People will play for 15 or 20 years. He had hunger, technique, performance, consistency. (Sunil) Gavaskar, (Dilip) Vengsarkar, Kapil (Dev), (Gundappa) Vishwanath, (Sachin) Tendulkar, (Rahul) Dravid… I could go on.

But then, as now, you had to be No. 1. People remember only those who help the country win. You have to be number 1, whether as a team or as a player, because no one remembers number 2.

, When did you know that your brother was a great man?

Rajender: As a family member, no matter how great your brother or father is, you don’t realize it at all. When you go out and see people’s reactions, that’s when you realize greatness. With Jimmy, I knew he was a great cricketer, but he always kept a low profile. You don’t find them advertising everywhere, on screens. His greatness was visible when you saw him surrounded by his fans.

To be honest, I learned a lot about his life while working with him on this book.

, You came back several times, which also meant you kept getting eliminated. How did you maintain your love for the game during all this?

Mohinder: Whether the days are good or bad, soldiers do not care. What kept me going was that I always felt that I was a much better player than many of the players playing at the time, as good as the top players.

I knew that some players got more chances than required. This did not disappoint me. In fact, it motivated me to move forward and made me more determined. I knew there was no point crying over it. I wanted to keep trying and come back stronger with each performance.

If you want to prove someone wrong then prove your point with a demonstration. Then (the selectors) have no option but to bring you back into the team.

The other thing that stopped me from moving forward was that I was never happy with what I achieved on the field. I was always hungry.

, As we saw in the recent India-Australia series, the art and pace of Test-match batting has changed. How do you see this change?

There has been a clear change in technology. Today many Indian players try to apply techniques from the shorter formats of the game to the longer version. This is why except a few they have not been very successful abroad. You have to play each format differently.

When you come into the team for the longer format on the basis of performance in the shorter formats, it will take time and will not be easy.

In difficult circumstances and situations, you need the right technique. There is definitely something wrong with it and that is why we were not able to bat for a long time in the Test.

, Where do you see the game going next?

There will probably be even more focus on shorter formats. The tenure will probably be short. I haven’t seen many players playing for years and years, like Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma or the Dravids and Tendulkars of the last generation. Just because you will feel less hungry. And playing for longer periods of time requires a different set of skills.

, You performed very well in Pakistan (4 centuries and 4 fifties in 11 Tests). Many current players don’t know what it’s like to play there…

The pace of the wickets there suited my style. Also, there will always be slander against Pakistan. They speak the same language. They considered me a local, because my father grew up and played all his cricket in (pre-partition) Lahore, and was highly respected there. So playing against Pakistan probably brought out the best in me. I was firm and cautious, yet positive. I was able to understand their mindset and adjust as per the challenges that arose.

, Who is the fast bowler that you liked facing the most?

This is a very big list. But I admire the way Imran Khan puts his heart into bowling. He was a role model for many cricketers. I liked his attitude and approach…he stood out from the rest.

, Your most satisfying comeback?

In Pakistan (in 1982–83). I was 32 years old and I knew this was my last chance. I proved people wrong. Sadly, many of the critics of the game in India have never played it. Sometimes people talk nonsense. I didn’t have any problem with anything. I just kept walking.

, What is your fondest memory?

When I played my first test. This is the dream of any young cricketer. I will always remember it. Also has the memory of my dad hugging me before the game and saying, “I’m proud of you.”

, Rarely do sons of cricketers become successful Test players. You refuted this trend…

My father (Lala Amarnath) was an icon, a superstar of Indian cricket. It was difficult to imitate him. I tried my best. I was nothing compared to him.

But, at the end of the day, once you are on the field, you forget who your father is. Your focus is on the game and I am very proud to represent my country.

I was lucky that Papaji was there. He trained us the right way. One thing he told me was to always be a positive player. He said, “Even if you get out, it doesn’t matter. Don’t care what people say. Go and play your natural game and stick to your strengths.”

For example, my elder brother Surinder was 10 times more talented than me. I never tried to compete with his talent. I did what I liked best and continued playing. I wanted to make my father proud and he would be very happy whenever I performed well.

, Batting in the West Indies was risky but definitely rewarding. What was the relationship like with the players there after the day’s play?

The tour of West Indies was the toughest because of their fast bowlers. If you performed well there, it gave you a lot of satisfaction.

They didn’t talk much on the field, but after the game they would definitely appreciate my performance. In those days, there was a good culture of players mingling between Test matches.

In Barbados (1982-83 tour), when I got hit (by a bouncer from Michael Holding) and I went to bat again, I did well and they appreciated my effort. It feels good when the opposition also praises what you do on the field.

, You enjoyed playing in Australia (668 runs in 8 Tests)…

I think my coaching at a young age helped me play real fast bowling better. My brothers and I grew up playing with wet tennis balls and on hard surfaces or tar roads. We learned some things very quickly. You know that the faster the track, the less will be the length of the bowler. So you technically work on all those things. The second key in Australia is to be aggressive. You can’t just occupy the crease and score runs.

, The three toughest places to tour during your playing days were West Indies, Australia and Pakistan where you had a batting average of over 50. When you look back at your career, is there a stat you’re most proud of?

Yes, those tours were tough. My mindset was very simple: read the situation and conditions, adjust and play accordingly. You can’t play the same way wherever you go.

One thing I always did was that whenever I performed well, I would note down a few points as to why I did well. So that when I was struggling, I could compare my notes and think about how I was playing and what was going wrong.

I was also lucky that Papaji was there to guide me. I used to talk to him often on phone. This kept me moving forward.

And I always focused on one game at a time. This is my motto: I live for today, I don’t plan for tomorrow, I forget the past.

, Rajender, you have also written a book about your father. Do they have many similarities?

Rajender: My brother did not have the charisma of Lala Amarnath, although he carried the family name with great distinction. And yet, while writing this book, I noticed a lot of similarities. The biggest resolution is. The best thing that very few people know about Jimmy is that he is never affected by events, good or bad, up or down. He remains stable. I wanted to bring that into the book. Because Jimmy can be a role model for many cricketers who want to play for India.