West Indies legend Brian Lara believes that to be a successful cricketer, one needs to have a complete game. “The sport has advanced so much that natural ability plays a very small part now in contemporary cricket,” Lara said on the sidelines of the Krishnapatnam Port Golden Eagles golf championship at Boulder Hills (Gachibowli) here on Saturday.
“Look at Virat (Kohli). See his fitness regimen and the way he takes his game to a different level,” he added.
Lara expressed disappointment at the way the West Indies had fared in the ongoing tour of India. "They could have done better. We have left a legacy in this format (Test cricket) with all our hard work and skills. Test matches getting over in just three days is not a very good sign for West Indies cricket,” the flamboyant southpaw noted.
Lara also rued the lack of proper infrastructure back home. “It is not just about building beautiful stadia. You need to have a structure, have full-fledged academies across the islands to ensure an assembly-line of players. There are many young talented players who need to be groomed in the right manner,” he said.
While the former Windies skipper clarified that he is not part of the team or the management in an official capacity, he is always available for players to share their thoughts. “We (all former greats) are all very keen that West Indies cricket should regain its past glory,” he said.
Overdependence on Rohit
The 2019 World Cup, which will be staged in England and Wales from May 30 to July 14, will see India play nine round-robin league matches at six different venues after starting its campaign against South Africa in Southampton on June 5. And Lara predicted an England-India final with Pakistan starting off as a dark horse because of its unpredictable nature.
“England is a very strong team. Though it has not won any major events, at home it should be a difficult proposition. India has been consistently playing well. However, it (playing in England) is different compared to doing well at home. It looks it is too dependent on Rohit (Sharma) and Kohli. You need to have good players from No. 4 to 7 as there is no guarantee of the top-order clicking all the time,” he said.
Lara indicated that he intends to write an autobiography by the time he turns 50 next year. “I think it is an important milestone in anybody’s life. So, I wish my book to be a true story of my upbringing and the disciplined direction. Definitely, it will not be sensational. It will be mostly about sharing my career,” he said.
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