Dubai: Former England Test star Jonathan Trott believes that Virat Kohli and AB De Villiers are great players. And the reason he believes they are such great players is because they have put the hard graft in.
Speaking to Gulf News from London after addressing the Dubai-based G Force Cricket Academy youngsters, who are in England for a coaching camp at the Epsom College, Trott said: “Kohli and De Villiers are today’s top players because they had worked hard on their natural talent. I have also watched Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting train hard and realised that they work harder than anyone else and their success is not a coincidence. All the greats have achieved success through hard work. Michael Jordan did not pick up a basketball and become a great player overnight but he worked for hours and hours, and that separates you from the other great international players.”
Trott said he believes that anyone who is intensely passionate about the game can become successful.
“Kids should have a general understanding of the game, wanting to know more about the game by being keen learners. It is vital to listen and learn as you may realise that you have to do something differently. Being able to change at an early age helps in development than when you are older. You need to enjoy the game and keep the enthusiasm for the game and find the right balance,” said Trott, who signed and presented his autobiography ‘Unguarded’ to the G Force camp students.
Trott who still plays for Warwickshire, then went on to talk about England, women’s cricket, the rise of Afghanistan and Ireland — and UAE cricket.
“I have spent time in Dubai not only playing but also working with the media and seen the passion there. It’s all about getting enough games for the players and getting the right competition for them to grow. UAE is very ambitious and I have seen them play well in the World Cups. They need to harness the talent and get the right people in charge. With Dougie Brown as coach — he was with Warwickshire — I am sure he will do a fantastic job. He is very enthusiastic about the game and a great student of the game.
“Hopefully he can take the team to the next level. We saw Bangladesh come in and grow and find their niche in one-day cricket. We lost to them in the World Cup and they are now a dangerous side and hopefully we will see soon teams like Afghanistan, Ireland and UAE grow.”
Asked whether the England team could do with greater consistency, he said: “It is disappointing we could not reach the final of the Champions Trophy, and we had lost the final of the Champions Trophy in 2013 too. Pakistan played well and they need to be given credit. Test match loss to South Africa was disappointing as well but, with two more Tests left, it is going to be a very interesting series. For consistency, England should score more runs and take more wickets.”
Trott hailed the rise of women’s cricket. “It is important women’s cricket reaches a huge audience and the figures in this World Cup shows a drastic growth, especially with India reaching the final. I think it can only help the game grow and, if more girls can get involved in the game, it will be better and make the sport more global.”
Trott is hopeful about Afghanistan and Ireland making a mark. “I still play for Warwickshire and there are some Irish lads there and they are very excited about the future of Irish cricket. I have seen some very good Afghanistan players and these nations must get to play more against top Test countries. If they are constantly playing against Test nations and getting beaten badly, that is really not going to help them. They need to find the right balance playing in a competition which is competitive and learning from the better players and better teams.”
