‘Sachin must get special treatment’

He might be the dark horse in the race but Desmond Haynes has a clear set of ideas on Indian cricket. Dressed nattily — there are, he p...

He might be the dark horse in the race but Desmond Haynes has a clear set of ideas on Indian cricket.

Dressed nattily — there are, he points out, marks for presentation — in a dark brown suit, Haynes spoke to The Indian Express about two important men of Indian cricket. He may not know the Indian wicket-keeper’s name but he believes he knows how to handle Sachin Tendulkar.

‘‘Players like Brian Lara and Sachin Tendulkar must be given special, preferential treatment. These guys know what’s best for them so it is important to let them be’’, he said today.

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Contradicting suggestions that it would affect team spirit, Haynes argues, ‘‘It gives the other members the incentive to work harder to get to that level. It works in the army, the navy, so why can’t it work here?’’

Haynes also believes that Tendulkar will emerge a much better batsman, as he grows older.

‘‘I have experienced it. Don’t look at his style, look at the way he understands his batting better. I was also flashy when I was young but that wasn’t batting, that was flashing. As I grew older I understood the art of batting. Tendulkar is in that phase right now.’’

Discussing Virender Sehwag, Haynes believes that he could end up as one of the most exciting batsman ever in history if he puts his mind to it. ‘‘He expresses himself with his batting whether it is Tests or one-dayers and that it his USP. I know that he will play shots, rash shots. You cannot eliminate them at once. If he has played four rash strokes in a series, I will get him to bring that down to three in the next series and two in the one that follows that one’’, he says.

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‘‘He could be the next captain of India if he wants to. He has that fight in him that you need to be a leader or the best in the business’’, Haynes adds.