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Click here to go to the main page of Sports Section. It was a rare opportunity for cricket lovers of our city when three legends of Indian Cricket descended to watch their wards, who are part of under - 19-cricket team, which played in Mandya and Mysore recently. Taking time off from their busy schedule, the trio spent an evening with Star of Mysore for a tete – a - tete at Lalitha Mahal Palace Hotel. Dilip Vengsarkar, Chandrakant Pandit and Praveen Amre, the three gentlemen cricketers, interacted with a host of organizers, players, umpires and the “who is who” of Mysore. The get - together was organised by S. Balachandar, Convenor of the Mysore Zone of Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA). Star of Mysore special correspondent Harish Machia Kodandera interacted with the stars of Indian Cricket.
Excerpts:
Taking you 20 years down memory lane, how did it feel to be a part of the Indian cricket team at the World Championship of Cricket, 1985 that has been adjudged the "Indian team of the century" at the Wisden event at London on July 23, 2002? Any mantras to achieve that dream today…?
Dilip Vengsarkar: The team has been consistently performing at the highest levels from 1983, won the Sharjah tournaments and everywhere they played. The team then had a perfect blend of batsmen, allrounders and bowlers who blended and functioned as one. There certainly is nothing to complain about the present team except that the excessive stress of playing continuous international cricket has its own flips to the final countdown. There is the necessary skill, competence and the drive except that there is not enough time to relax and strategize. 
You catapulted yourself into the national side after a scintillating performance in the Irani Cup in 1975 - 76, when you scored 110 with 10 sixes. How does it look sitting here 30 years later? You were one of the real forerunners of the present one - day style of batting. Your birthday also runs like one of your score cards - 6, 4, 5, 6 (6th April 1956) and is it reflective of your way of batting. Who do you think was best suited in the early 1970s for the present style of cricket?
Dilip Vengsarkar: Wow! How did you get to know my birthday? It is real nostalgia looking at those years. I vividly remember the matting wicket where I played the Rohinton Baria trophy match against Delhi University and the outfield was absolutely bald. Matches were played differently then unlike now where so much of awareness and promotion of the games has become the norm. It would be difficult to pinpoint any single player who would suit the type of game that is played today. You are the Lord of the Lords with centuries in 1979, 1982 and 1986. How do you keep the crown still on your head? Did success not get into your head after such brilliant performances? What is your secret of keeping a sound mind in a strong body? Tell us how you still continue looking like a young boy?
Dilip Vengsarkar: (Laughs). I understand that with the money cricketers get to make these days, it becomes difficult to keep your head properly resting on your shoulders. I was also constantly reminded of the fact that I was rubbing shoulders with real legends and my performance was not eclipsing theirs. I suppose humility should be an attitude and we need to cultivate it if we have to be successful in life. It should be clearly understood that once a player achieves a celebrity status, people are following him and not just his game. He has that much extra responsibility to society and his actions and words therefore should be carefully chosen, delivered and presented. Youngsters even go to the extent of aping the sunscreen applications on the face, fancy sunglasses and the typical gestures of players. We therefore need to remember this and conduct ourselves in utmost humility always. Focus presently is on fitness, fielding and overall mental make-up. You can clearly see the case of Rahul Dravid who is mentally very stable and strong. During our playing days, we had only the officials who accompanied us on our tours unlike these days where we have an entire contingent of physios, coaches and all those who help players holistically. After scoring the third century at Lords, you still said that you rated your century at Leeds in 1986 as your best. You had scored 6 centuries in 13 tests in 1986. What made you rate it the best and as a virtual run machine, what rank would you attach to commitment when it comes to competence, commitment and character?
Dilip Vengsarkar: The match was a very low scoring match and in India's score of around 200, I scored 102 and India won the match in just under three days. It certainly is a game that I would always treasure for even an ordinary medium pacer looked deadly on the wicket and it needed grit and determination to stay and score runs on the wicket. It is very apparent that you certainly need competence and skill to take you to the highest level of playing test cricket. But once you are there, your commitment and character are the factors that will keep you going. You can see the character displayed by Rahul Dravid each time he plays. It is the conviction, the commitment, and the character and of course the competence that comes into play in equal measure. What has been your impression about the infrastructure available in Mysore for cricket? What are your views about the facilities at the Infosys center here at Mysore?
Dilip Vengsarkar: I would certainly consider Mysore better equipped than even Bangalore. I have special kudos to Brijesh Patel who has worked wonders in taking cricket to the districts and mofussils of the State and identified playing talent. The facilities available at Mandya and at the Infosys Centre in Mysore are world class. They are par excellence and it is a virtual treat to play at both these facilities. As the Chairman of the Talent Resource Development Wing, Board of Control for Cricket in India, has it been easy for you to spot and mould talent in a country as large as India?
Dilip Vengsarkar:The Board of Control for Cricket in India has realized the need to identify and nurture talent and in this direction has set up zonal centers whose prime objective is to spot talent. We have been able to reach the mofussils areas more effectively and results have already started showing. People no longer need to go to big cities just to showcase their talent and play the game to be acknowledged and identified. It certainly is happening in districts like Shimoga, Kodagu and Mangalore in Karnataka. Your understanding of our state's geography seems to be good!
Dilip Vengsarkar: Shrugs. I need to with so much talent that is seen off late in this part of the country.
It is a great feeling to know that six of the current Ranji team of Mumbai has players from your Cricket Academy.
Dilip Vengsarkar: After I retired from first class cricket, I had this strong desire to pay back to society in the form of cricket, a game that has made me achieve the heights I was able to scale. I thought of this cricket academy with a specific motto of identifying talent from amongst the under privileged and for this I was ably supported with grants and aids from Elf Lubricants who provide us with the costs for kits, sports materials, coaching aids and even trips to England for practice matches. Could you please share with talented and budding young cricketers your secrets of success in three words?
Dilip Vengsarkar: Focus, Passion and Hard work.
Thank you Sir, we wish we could keep bowling at you. We would like you to keep coming to Mysore more often to be able to motivate and inspire youngsters here to emulate greats and play better cricket for India in the years to come.
Dilip Vengsarkar: Thank you. I shall certainly make it a point to be here whenever possible. Chandrakant Pandit, a wonderful wicket –keeper - batsman for India, now the Coach at the National Cricket Academy, Bangalore, was not stumped when we bowled a few deliveries at him. Praveen Amre, a dashing batsman and currently the Chairman of the Board of Selectors of the Junior Cricket Team, was as usual confident, relaxed and smooth flowing. 
Chandrakanth Pandith, Praveen Amre and Vengasarkar
It always has been a paradox to a common man as to why highly talented sportsmen need coaches. Could you please elaborate the critical role that a coach plays in enhancing performance?
Chandrakant Pandit: A coach is virtually a mentor, teacher, expert, counselor, friend, philosopher and guide rolled into one. My special focus is on understanding each and every member of my team, his strengths and limitations, especially his background and how he could gel well with the other members of the team. It is these aspects that even talented sportsmen need for primarily they are just like you and me — human beings. Do you think coaching younger players is always a better proposition than that is involved in coaching the seniors? I get the feeling that the seniors will have the tendency of "I know it all" and what can he do for me. Is it true and how do you manage this?
Chandrakant Pandit: This is sometimes true but not always. I have had unique opportunities of interacting with seniors like Ajit Agarkar and Sairaj Bahutule, who were always keen and willing to learn and improve. It ultimately depends on how you project yourself as a human being and your abilities to understand each man according to his own merits and strengths. 
Junior Krishnamachari Srikanth with K. B. Ganapathy, Editor of Star of Mysore and Praveen Sood, Police Commissioner, Mysore
How are the Australians able to generate good cricketers more like a factory? From a management perspective, what are the areas you have looked into, other than the oft-repeated dimensions of weather, anthropological factors and diversity in India?
Chandrakant Pandit: It primarily boils down to identifying talent and honing them perfectly. This needs a thorough understanding which even goes to the extent of family background, eating habits, likes and dislikes. We have now begun to clearly understand that it is the entire mind-body and soul that needs to be addressed. This is given a lot of importance now. How has the National Cricket Academy been successful in identifying, nurturing and honing cricket talent in India and do we have facts and figures speaking for it?
Chandrakant Pandit: The National Cricket Academy is certainly a boon and blessing for Indian cricket in that it has achieved what it has set out to bring to India. We have now been able to go deep into the real India and spot talents that hitherto for various reasons could not be tapped and would not surface. Without the stars and with you as the Coach, Mumbai won the Ranji championships two years in a row. How could you motivate and inspire the players?
Chandrakant Pandit: Let me be honest, it was luck! Do you want us to believe it, though we appreciate your being so down to earth and modest?
Chandrakant Pandit: I suppose the ability to blend with the players who were all personally driven to achieve and had the focus to excel against all odds. This certainly made my job easy. Every coach will certainly put in his best and hope for the ultimate, but it is the commitment of the players, which ultimately makes this happen.
Congratulations on your victory at Mandya today.
Chandrakant Pandit: Thanks. These young players are the ones who will look forward to be playing for India and these victories are the ones that would motivate them in right earnest. Let me join my players. They need to be taken care. I always allow them the space to interact, learn and enjoy and tell them that they are free to do anything as long they know their limits, are disciplined and cultured. I understand it simply because I have gone through that age and I know what it is to be a youngster. As the Chairman of the Selection Committee of the junior team, what extra pressures do you experience?
Praveen Amre: It certainly is a pressure to perform considering that you need to show your performance in a period of two years that is the term of office. However, it certainly gives me immense job satisfaction. The fact that juniors graduate from that level to be playing for India is a great thing to be associated with. Irfan Pathan, Dinesh Karthik and now Suresh Raina are classic examples of talents being spotted early on and nurtured properly. As a great cricketer with those rare records of scoring a Test century on debut, why do we find that most juniors who show exceptional talent initially do not continue playing at the highest level?
Praveen Amre: While it is naturally difficult to edge out existing players who are there by virtue of talent and performance and with the constant pressure from other players who are knocking at the doors, it sometimes becomes too hot to handle. It is here, mental toughness comes into play. I am not suggesting that all those who fail to make it to the top lack mental toughness. What is your advice to youngsters in preparing them for cricket, careers and their future?
Praveen Amre: Be focused, have clear goals and aim at achieving it methodically and systematically. Never lose heart. Look at the others who have achieved and emulate their practices. Should continuously try to work on mental toughness. Courtesy: Star of Mysore Click here if you would like to Contribute or send a feedback.
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