Andy Bichel joined Chennai Super Kings as bowling coach in 2011 and spent five seasons there before the team was suspended from the IPL.
It is incredibly sad, he says, for he knows how much hard work had gone into building the side over the years. On the Queensland Cricket website, Bichel is described as a “lion-hearted fast bowler”, and it would be difficult to disagree. As a player, the 45-year-old should have played far more than his 19 Tests and 67 ODIs but a long line of bowlers ahead of him meant his appearances for Australia were infrequent.
In this interview, Bichel discusses CSK, working with R. Ashwin, and appreciating under-rated players like himself.
Excerpts:
New IPL opportunities: Nothing has been finalised. Obviously [sent] a few texts and a few resumes. I’m still hoping.
You can only put your name forward and hope that you make that final interview.
Stephen Fleming is someone I have had a great relationship with and we have had some great success in Chennai. So, to be able to keep working with him would be a privilege, really. Because I really enjoyed that combination.
CSK’s suspension: It’s sad. Very sad. After we’ve worked so hard for everything. And the management have been absolutely fantastic. It’s been a great franchise to work for. All the players in the competition wanted to play for Chennai.
You had the Indian captain there in M.S. Dhoni. Stephen Fleming had a good rapport across the tournament as well.
And the owners, what they’ve done for Chennai and the Chennai Super Kings has been outstanding... the way they’ve conducted themselves. It’s sad that it’s all broken down. Let’s hope it can come back but it’ll never be the same.
And that’s probably the saddest part about the whole scenario that’s unfolded.
Formula behind CSK’s success: It’s getting the right people to fit the roles. And if that person is not quite right, then it’s having someone to replace him.
We had hot conditions in Chennai — so spin was the best option there. We’ve seen fast bowlers bowl four overs there and just about break down. Because of the heat that can happen, especially in the day games. Brendon McCullum coming into the team last year was good for us, because we needed that person upfront when we lost Murali Vijay.
Albie Morkel, the role he played lower down the order, coming in and getting 14 off five balls or whatever, he did that regularly.
Dwayne Bravo’s done that for us. When we wanted someone upfront swinging the ball, we had Ben Hilfenhaus, Doug Bollinger. It took hard work behind the scenes, from Stephen Fleming and the management at CSK.
Working with Ashwin: He’s always improving his game. He’s always working. He probably over-trains a little bit, and that’s not a bad thing, because you’re always working on something.
He’s got the ability to bowl different deliveries, and when he gets the surface to do that, we’ve all seen what he can produce. It’s been great to watch him be successful over this period.
He’s matured a lot as well, as a person. I think having a baby, that sort of fulfils a part of his life. I think he looks at things a little more differently and is more relaxed.
Which is good, because you can’t play so intense for so long. And he has been intense, with his training and getting it right. But now he’s going out there and enjoying it because he’s got great skills.
Talking of under-rated players: The role Ravindra Jadeja is playing, you know...He goes in with six balls to play and everyone’s saying get 36 off six. He comes out to field and everyone says, get a run-out. And he bowls as well.
He’s got such a small role in the team, but the outcome can really hurt him sometimes because of his role. He could’ve chipped it in the air and got a duck, and we’ll all be saying “Ahh, he didn’t do the right thing”. There’s a price to pay for the small roles. While the Sharmas are doing the scoring at the top, it’s important to look at the make-up of the team going right through.
