By Zaahier Adams
Bankrolled by India's leading businessmen and biggest Bollywood stars, the Indian Premier League was launched amidst much fanfare last month, with the world's best playing alongside each other in cricket's current most popular format of the game, Twenty20.
With the maiden tournament just past the halfway stage, Herschelle Gibbs, the Deccan Chargers' South African opening batsman, spoke to the Cape Times from Hyderabad on Thursday about the standard of the IPL, playing with his new Aussie team-mates and those black boots ...
What has the IPL experience been like for you thus far?
I'm really enjoying it. It's been really good thus far. The entire tournament has been very well organised. All the guys are getting along really well. We took a while to get into our stride, but the last result has been very encouraging. We are getting closer to the business end of the tournament, so hopefully we can get the results required to put us in contention for the semifinals.
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Have you enjoyed being in the same team as players who were previously international opponents?
Well, management has told me that the spirits in the dressingroom has really lifted since I joined the team. The guys are really enjoying playing with each other and I think the spirit among our players is a lot better than perhaps some of the other teams. So if I'm playing a role in lifting the mood in the camp, at least I'm doing something right.
But besides the internationals, there are also some young Indian players in your team. How do they respond to playing with a senior professional like Herschelle Gibbs?
The main thing for the senior players in the team, like myself, is to relax the youngsters as the IPL is the biggest stage they've played on in their fledgling careers. They are, however, improving all the time as the tournament progresses. The other thing is that many of the youngsters hardly speak English, if any at all, so it makes communication really difficult at times, but we're managing.
What has the standard of the competition been in your opinion?
The wickets have been a factor and apart from those two unbelievable innings at the start of the competition, the scores have not been that high. The wickets have not been poor, just tricky sometimes. The fielding has not been good, but the batting has been of a high standard. I suppose it's going to be that way if you have so many world-class players on show. Just look at how many sixes have been hit in the tournament thus far.
Do you the believe the International Cricket Council should find a place in the Future Tours Programme for the IPL?
I do know that the Australian Cricket Board has requested it, and it would be really good if that could happen as all the players would then be available for the entire tournament. The tournament on a whole has been great, and it could not have happened to me at a better stage of my career.
Would you say the tournament's standard has dropped since the Australians left to prepare for their tour of the West Indies?
I wouldn't quite say the standard of the tournament has dropped, rather that any team is going to miss the quality of of players like Matthew Hayden and Mike Hussey, who were stars of the opening rounds. Even us at the Deccan Chargers are feeling the effects of losing a class player such as Andrew Symonds, but it is now up to us who are still here to maintain the standard of the tournament.
You will be in India for close to five weeks, playing three-hour matches thrice a week. What are you getting up to when you're not playing?
(Laughs) There's not much to do when you're not practising. The hotels we're staying at are world class and the gyms are really good. I've been spending most of my time there and lying by the pool side. There is, however, enough time for practical jokes to be played on the boys.
You're off to play county cricket in England immediately after the IPL. Does this mean that you've ruled yourself out of contention for a place in the Proteas touring party to England?
Well, I'm not sure if I'm even going to be involved in the Test touring party. I know that the Tests are to played prior to the ODI's, so I'll be there if required. But I really not sure if I'm going to be part of the Proteas Test mix.
Has there been any needle between the Proteas when the have come up against each other?
Our boys are always competitive, whether we playing against each other for our franchises back home or in the IPL now. So there's definitely an edge when the guys face up to one another. The guys also have to show their new employers that they are aggressive and committed in the field, regardless of who they are playing.
The Deccan Chargers have not had the best of campaigns thus far. Are there any plans being put in place to improve on this?
I haven't really got going either, so I can only speak for myself. I am working hard on a few things in the nets, so hopefully it comes off in the next few games. On the team, Gilly (Adam Gilchrist) and Scottie Styris have been hitting the ball really well of late, so maybe it is the start of things to come.
And finally, what's up with the black boots, Herschelle?
As you have probably noticed back home on television, all the guys over here are spraying their gloves gold, red, black, blue, etc ... So I thought I would be a bit different and go with the black boots. The grounds over here are bit soft underfoot and I've always preferred fielding in soccer boots rather than cricket ones anyways. I think they look better with the black pants anyways, don't you?
- This article was originally published on page 19 of Cape Times on May 09, 2008
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