2 November - Lucknow - Afghanistan Head Coach Jonathan Trott pre-match press conference
[Reporter:]
There is lots of talk about how you have changed the way the Afghanistan batters are batting in the middle order. Is it like there's something specific talk going on? Because before the World Cup, you made a very point that they know how to clear the boundary, but the main challenge is to hit through the ground and run one and twos. So, Afghanistan in that department has done pretty extraordinarily well. So, your thought on that, is there any specific work gone through behind it?
[Jonathan Trott:]
I think it's a case more of just being better all-around and thinking more about your all-around game. I think Afghanistan [players] naturally grows up playing a lot more T20 cricket format than any other format, so the skills for T20 are there. It's about adding to that sort of base of T20 skills.
As you see 50 over cricket is a long time and you have to be able to, I think, ride the sort of ebbs, and flows of a game. The thing that I'm really happy about from last game is we lost a wicket in the first over and you know Rahmat Shah was able to go into number three and soak up that pressure but still keep scoring at a good tempo. So that shows the ability to soak up pressure at times what you have to do in 50 over cricket but also then accelerate at certain times.
So, wanting and trying to enable batters and give them the game and help them grow the game so they can have both facets of the game. Pressure, soaking it up, rotation of strike, and obviously accelerating and boundary hitting.
[Reporter:]
You are the coach of the Afghanistan cricket team, but what's your biggest learning with these bunch of boys who have been doing exceptionally well with, what's your key learning with the bunch?
[Jonathan Trott:]
Well, I think the key thing for me is just learning, understanding the game from a different point of view, a different culture, a different way of thinking about it compared to how the game is spoken about, thought about and coached in England or perhaps growing up in South Africa and having another complete culture in a different country's way of thinking about cricket and trying to adapt to that but also add to it and make it as good as possible. That's been the biggest learning for me and the thing that I enjoy doing the most.
[Reporter:]
A few hours ago, Colin Ackerman was here from the Netherlands camp and I asked him about countering the spin attack of Afghanistan. In reply he said that Afghanistan team has three good spinners who have done well in the T20 format, but the 50 overs format is a bit different thing. So as a coach, do you think if you have talent in the side, then format really matters.
[Jonathan Trott:]
I think it's about being consistent in those formats. I think our spinners are ranked quite highly in ODI cricket as well as well as T20, so I'm not quite sure what that sort of comment is, but I think they bowl well in all formats. I don't think it's a case of just talent, as your question suggests. I think it's a case of experience, it's a case of assessing the conditions like our spinners do, communicating that, what length as well that spinners should bowl, having that.
So, it's not just about the format, it's about the moment and the occasion as well. A lot goes into the melting pot to make a good spinner, certainly in T20 cricket but also in ODI cricket where generally spinners are going to bowl with only four fielders out and that's a skill in itself to be able to do that as a finger spinner and as a wrist spinner to have the control as a wrist spinner but also the experience and the skill is just a normal finger spinner with no mystery.
[Reporter:]
Ikram had an injury in the previous game and Gurbaz had to take the gloves. So, what's the status on Ikram's injury right now? Is he available for the game?
[Jonathan Trott:]
Yeah, he's available, yeah.
[Reporter:]
What kind of injury was it?
[Jonathan Trott:]
Just hurt his finger.
[Reporter:]
This is the previous home ground of Afghanistan team, how you people are looking to utilise benefits?
[Jonathan Trott:]
I think when it comes to home ground advantage, I think they have good experience of playing here at the ground. But in the case of World Cup matches, I think they've relaid the pitch a little bit. So, it's a little bit different to how it has been in the past. I don't think experience plays that bigger role, but I would say previous World Cup experience from the players as well - we’ve won against big sides against the big Test playing nations I think tomorrow's challenge is going to be playing against a very good Dutch side who are in form and that's going to be the challenge for us tomorrow, so very excited for it.
I don't think there's any advantage having previously played here maybe because I think Holland [Netherlands] have played here before as well, I'm pretty sure. So, they've got probably more experience in the World Cup of playing here than we have. So, it's all about how we play tomorrow.
[Reporter:]
The most trending question this time in all over the world is Afghanistan is going to make place in top four in semi-finals. Lots of permutations and combinations in your mind this time?
[Jonathan Trott:]
Well, we're not going to make the semis by just talking about it. We have to play good cricket. So as long as we play good cricket, we'll give ourselves the best chance of being able to do that. So that starts tomorrow and how well we start tomorrow is going to be crucial and how well we finish. And it's important that when it comes to World Cup games, everything is different, different conditions. We've moved away. Pune is very different to Lucknow; Delhi is very different. So that's the challenge of the World Cup, different conditions, different grounds, different climates. So as long as we adjust ourselves well, we had a good practice yesterday. Hopefully, we have another good practice today. And we're ready for tomorrow.
[Reporter:]
There are lots of talk about Ajay Jadeja's mentorship in the Afghanistan team. What type of help you are getting from him?
[Jonathan Trott:]
I think Ajay obviously brings a lot of experience having played a lot of cricket in India. He's always a good sounding board with regards to conditions and the venues and probably also the other subcontinent teams that we've played against. He has a lot of experience in that way, having played a lot against different countries.
So, he brings his vast experience to the players, but also, as for myself as a coach, as a good signing board with decision making and sort of planning going forward for each game, and also another good set of eyes on the players to see how they're preparing for the matches and how their careers and talent is being utilized.
[Reporter:]
Afghan players are very good looking in longer version of game at present and they are very patient in batting. How this change came?
[Jonathan Trott:]
Well, I just think it's a case of a lot of thoughts and going behind it from the players and also realizing how much time you actually do have in the 50-over game. I think when chasing those targets, we saw what just what is possible if you have a good solid start and you have in batsmen in the last 10 overs. That's happened for us but it's also happened against us in games where it's been difficult to stop the opposition with set batters in the last 10 overs.
So, I think having that sort of vision, knowing that you can score quickly towards the back end of games, I think that's the pennies, we're starting to see that drop with the players. Obviously, there's a difference between talking about it but actually going out and doing it. And we're seeing players go out and do it now. And it's not just a case of the players talking about it. That's what we've done. We've spoken a lot about it and worked really hard to try and achieve it so it's nice to see the players do well and have a smile on the face when they're there batting at the end of the game having chased in the last two games and won.
[Reporter:]
Are we going to see spin attack here? That means your all your four spinners will play here because this pitch is more helpful to spinners and opposition team is not so good in playing on this pitch.
[Jonathan Trott:]
Have you seen the pitch?
No, I think we are going to try and pick the side for the conditions, the best side that we can pick. So, we'll just have to see how that shapes up tomorrow when we get to the ground.
[Reporter:]
What do you think about the dew factor? How the playing 11 will be affected by the dew factor that is have that is having here in the Lucknow
[Jonathan Trott:]
It does come into equation but we saw that you not really have an effect when India played England. So, you've got to weigh it up, obviously, when you're selecting the side, but also the decision of the toss.
We've sort of seen the toss not have a huge effect on outcomes of the games. And whatever we do, whether we battle ball first, having won the toss or lost the toss, we've got to make sure we do it better than the Netherlands tomorrow.
[Reporter:]
Can you comment on the dew factor and overall, on all the games that you have played, whether the dew factor has any role in India right now because in some games like India did here, the ball was turning even though there was a dew. So overall if you can make a comment in this regard.
[Jonathan Trott:]
I think it depends on different types of pitches and also the amount of dew. Certainly, you've seen in Pune now the pitch there, the dew has played a role in being able to chase and it definitely - it's really tricky to sort of sit here and not talk about it, because I haven't played at all the grounds. We've only played at Delhi, where it didn't have much of an effect. Chennai had a bit of an effect. Pune had a little bit of an effect. So everywhere it's just a little bit. But again, as I said, the dew doesn't determine whether you win or lose because we saw India win here bowling last against England. It's how you bat, how you bowl and how you get yourself into the competition and outplay the opposition.
[Reporter:]
This is not specific to World Cup. Afghanistan has been using Mujeeb as an opening bowler for quite a long time. So, what do you feel about this? What qualities do you think has helped him to do this so well?
[Jonathan Trott:]
Well, there's a few things to why Mujeeb does so well. One of the only spinners I know who wants to bowl in the power play, he sees that as his role and I think that can only benefit us as a side but also that's what he benefits from mentality wise. You don't want somebody who doesn't want to bowl in the power play, especially a spinner.
So, to have that ability but also the way people around the world know how good a bowler he is, the variations he has, he can manipulate which way he spins the ball depending on the strength of the opposition batsman. His accuracy, certainly in the last few games, has been getting better and better and really, really good and been bowling world class in the power play. I'm looking certainly tomorrow for him to continue his form and make inroads and have an impact on the game tomorrow.
[Reporter:]
In Chennai you guys played Noor, he did exceptionally well. Next game he was benched, first Farooqui came in, he picked four. It's like horses for courses as far as we understand. So how difficult it is as a coach to tell an 18-year-old that, OK mate, you have done well, but this pitch we are going to try a different combination and you are warming the bench. So, what, is it difficult to have a talk?
[Jonathan Trott:]
I think it's always difficult to tell a person you're leaving them out after the way that they bowled, especially a young person who's so ambitious and talented but also is determined to do well. But I think it's great in his attitude, in Noor that he knows his career and you sort of explain to him this is the reasons, but well done, but make sure that you keep working hard. Because the thing that I'm most happy about in that he has been with the side for almost two months and he got his opportunities because he's been training really well, he took his opportunity. So, there's no hesitation in picking him again if I have to or if the conditions suggest that he should be picked. I know that he'll be ready and excited for him to play.
[Reporter:]
Did you guys know about the Champions Trophy qualification scenario before the tournament? And is it in your mind now?
[Jonathan Trott:]
I didn't know about it before the tournament.
