Enough talent in UAE - Madan Lal

Former Indian allrounder Madan Lal feels that there is enough cricketing talent in the UAE.

"A lot among the budding cricketers in the UAE are very talented, but if they have to make it to the highest level, they would require match exposure against talented cricketers," said Madan Lal, who is here on a coaching stint with the Emirates Cricket Training Centre.

"Talentwise the kids here and those in India are the same. Indian kids, as they grow up, get to play against talented senior boys and this helps them improve. Moreover, in India most of the children play on turf wickets.

"Unless one gets to play against strong players and on turf wickets, it would be difficult for anyone to sharpen their inborn talents," added Madan Lal, who is also India's national team selector.

"Facilities here are good, but turf wickets should be made more available than cement wickets. Today, cricket all over the world is played on turf," he said.

Pinpointing the other factors needed to make it to the top, Madan Lal stressed on mental strength. "One has to be tough mentally. As it is said always, there is no substitute for hard work. One has to be dedicated and should be totally focussed on his goal."

According to Madan Lal, the biggest advantage for children today is the increase in parental support.

"Parents are very supportive about their children playing the game. Cricket has been accepted as a career and many know that if one can get to play for the country it could be financially very rewarding.

"Parents here should be able to strike a balance between their children's studies and the game. They should also ensure that their children are granted enough opportunities to play with good players," feels Madan Lal, who has set up his own academy in New Delhi.

Mentioning about a possible tie-up between the Emirates Cricket Training Centre and the Madan Lal Academy in New Delhi, Madan Lal said: "It would be a good exposure for the talented boys from this academy to come over there and play with some of the players in my academy. We are planning a sort of mutual exchange programme during the holidays."

Appreciating the efforts of ECT coach Shahzad Altaf, he said "Altaf has done a wonderful job by creating this coaching centre. His efforts have helped identify many talented boys and his hard work is sure to produce some outstanding players."

Talking about the present Indian team, Madan Lal said: "India has a bright future in cricket. Almost all the players in the side are experienced and by doing well in the last couple of series they have gained in confidence. Their excellent performance in England has also been a big boost for them. We have a good chance of winning the next World Cup."

However, Madan Lal expressed his concern over the Champions Trophy row.

"This contract issue has been putting a lot of pressure on the players for the last three months. Players should be free of all such pressures. Everyone must be wanting to play for the country and not spend their time discussing contracts. The whole incident must be very disturbing mentally," he lamented.

On whether there could be many changes in the Indian team for the World Cup, he said: "At the most there would be only one or two changes. The present players have gained a lot of experience. All that is now needed from them is to deliver the goods in the biggest show of world cricket."