India

W V Raman: What he said, really meant and definitely didn’t 

Wookeri V Raman compares his coaching assignment to sightseeing in New York. 

What he said:

“It’s like you asking me that if you go to New York, will you go to the Macy’s first or will you go to Times Square?” 

WV Raman has his priorities set out but doesn’t care for the order.

The elegant left-hander has been appointed the Indian women’s cricket coach following the unceremonious ouster of Ramesh Powar. The former Mumbai  player had a falling out with Mithali Raj, the seniormost player in the side and current ODI skipper.

What he really meant:

“Priorities are priorities. You tackle them as they come up. Ranking them doesn’t make sense.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“Well, if it was New Year’s eve, I’d definitely be at Times Square. That’d be timely. I’d save Macy’s for Thanksgiving.”

Ravi Shastri: What he said, really meant and definitely didn’t

Typical Shastri leads with poetry like a tracer bullet into the microphone:

What he said:

“Past is history, future is a mystery.” 
Ravi Shastri takes no prisoners when queried if past Indian captains can be attributed credit for India’s historic 2-1 series win in Australia.

What he really meant:

“I’m the rhyme master and I’m here to rap. Give me a beat. Tap. Tap. Tap.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“I was once Champion of Champions. Will they now title me Coach of Coaches?” 

Mithali Raj: What she said, really meant and definitely didn’t

Mithali Raj dresses up her reading:

What she said:

“I just know I have a lot of time to read in the [dressing] room.”

Former India skipper, Mithali Raj, is insouciant about no longer leading the women’s T20 side. 

What she really meant:

“What is this waiting if full of care?  I have loads of time to read and dare.”

What she definitely didn’t:
“Cricket is cerebral and so am I. A match made in heaven. Book me!” 

Ravi Shastri: What he said, really meant and definitely didn’t 

Ravi Shastri traces a bullet. 

What he said:

“There’s a bit of Sachin there, there’s a bit of Viru there, and when he walks, there’s a bit of Lara there!”

Ravi Shastri, the Indian head coach, can’t stop gushing about latest boy sensation, Prithvi Shaw, and his exhilarating debut against the West Indies at home. 

What he really meant:

“Shaw bats like a dream. He’s a kaleidoscope of the bright colours of Tendulkar, Sehwag and Brian Lara. He’s my rainbow.” 

What he definitely didn’t:

“Why did I omit Viv Richards in this comparison? Kohli wouldn’t permit me. That’s why. He insists that sobriquet’s exclusive to him.” 

K L Rahul: What he said, really meant and definitely didn’t

What he said:

“My mother gave me a bar of soap. She told me to go wash it off and not act like a kid. I was 16 years old. She thought my tattoo was a Boomer [chewing gum] sticker.”

K L Rahul describes his mother Rajeshwari’s reaction to his first skin etching. The Karnataka batter was speaking to comedian Vikram Sathaye on his podcast, Viu’s What the Duck 3.

What he really meant:

“While tattoos rock my world, they don’t impress my mother in the least. She’d rather lather me instead.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“Hmm… So who could my agent  approach next? Makers of Lux, Liril, Lifebuoy or Dove? Tattoo removal creams? That’s branding of a different kind, innit?” 

Matthew Hayden: Aggression and Rahul Dravid

“To me aggression is of two types. There is real aggression and then there is pretence. You have to look into someone’s eyes to see if there is any real aggression. When I look into Rahul Dravid’s eyes I know that though he might not be outwardly aggressive, he is inwardly aggressive: he wants to hit the ball, he wants to seek out opportunities. He has got fire in his belly. A lot of the aggression that you see now, like staring and chatting, is all guff. That is just a waste of time.”

—Matthew Hayden.

Nita Ambani: All cricket invites attention

“Well, all cricket invites attention.”

—Nita Ambani.

Rahul Dravid: Never alone

“No dream is ever chased alone.”

— Rahul Dravid.

Sanjay Manjrekar: Tipping

“The strong tipping culture in America can be unsettling for outsiders, but you see the sense of it after a while. It really is a ‘performance incentive scheme’ for their staff. Basic salary is average; but if you serve your customers well, make them happy, you take home a good salary.”

—Sanjay Manjrekar.

Ashwini Nachappa: Inherent

​”Love for sport is inherent in a child. All we need to do is to nurture it and give it wings. And, for this we need to understand that the mind is not devoid of the body. They work best with each other.” 

—Ashwini Nachappa.