Mark Taylor feels Sourav Ganguly must improve his field-setting for spinners

Sydney: Brilliant captain, outstanding opener... Mark Taylor’s CV will, at the very least, evoke admiration. He quit in early 1999 and, since then, has made a career out of TV commentary. In fact, his contract with Channel Nine prevented him from freely talking about the India versus Australia Test series. Taylor, however, did answer other questions during an interaction with The Telegraph on Tuesday morning.

The following are excerpts

Q Sans cricket, how have the past five years been?

A (Smiles) Have gone very quickly... When I retired, I was convinced I made the right decision... Five years on, that hasn’t changed. Frankly, never have I felt I could or should have continued.

Still, was quitting an easy decision?

The desire had gone... I could have played a couple of more series, but I wouldn’t have played well... I would, then, have retired on a bad and not a good note. When that desire goes, you start to play badly... I knew my time was up.

What’s your advice to cricketers who aren’t sure of when to quit?

My philosophy is simple: Keep playing till people have high regard, till they want to see you play... You shouldn’t wait for people to say “hope he goes quickly.” I remember having gone through a bad patch in 1997... I came out of that, but didn’t want to possibly face another one when I would be older.

When you quit, there was speculation whether Steve Waugh would actually carry forward your legacy... You must be pleased with his achievements?

Our cricket has continued to flourish, though there has been a hiccup once in a while... I think the revival began with our 1987 World Cup win and, since, we’ve grown stronger... It has helped that there’s been a consistency in leadership, beginning with Allan Border’s captaincy... Also, plenty of talent has come through... You may recall I was asked the same legacy-question when I took over from Border in 1994... Yet, I held my own and the process of rebuilding was taken forward... Indeed, I let it be known I would be Mark Taylor and not anybody else... That I wouldn’t try and slip into somebody else’s shoes...

More than Border, Bobby Simpson and you are credited with moulding the team into a winning outfit...

It’s not that I had a vision or something... Sport throws up too many anomalies for there to be a vision... What I did try to do is create an environment where the players felt comfortable, an environment which encouraged them to produce their best. Simmo, of course, had a different role.

Briefly, what’s been Steve’s contribution?

Taking an already formidable team to being miles ahead of anybody else... It’s a different issue that the Indians surprised us.

To what extent can a captain make a difference?

(Smiles again) He can... Having said that, there’s an Australian saying that you can’t make a silk purse out of a pig’s ear... In other words, the quality of players has to be good... Basically, quality players must keep coming through the system.

What’s your advice for Ricky Ponting?

Don’t think he needs any... He was, for example, terrific in last year’s World Cup... So many things were being spoken about... The Shane Warne drugs scandal broke and, then, there was that Adam Gilchrist and Rashid Latif row... Moreover, in the lead-up, the Steve debate was on... However, throughout, Ricky was relaxed and delivered with the bat as well... He got the players to relax too and we retained the title.

In time, will Australia find adequate replacements for Glenn McGrath and Warne?

That’s one of the challenges facing us... Attacking bowlers win you Test matches and, honestly, it’s difficult replacing quality attacking bowlers.

You were the first to present a bottle of champagne to Matthew Hayden when he got the world record (380) in Perth last October. How highly do you rate him?

Matthew has finally found peace with himself... He was always talented but, in the mind initially, he couldn’t take that one step needed to move from the purely first-class cricket to the international scene... Then, in between, he got limited opportunities and couldn’t make the most. In time, though, he began believing in himself, began believing he belonged to the highest level... That transformed his career, as also the success he enjoyed in the last Test series in India. Till then, he was known to struggle on the slower pitches.

Hayden didn’t think twice about getting past Sir Don’s 334... Yet, when you got the opportunity to gun for Brian Lara’s 375, in Pakistan, you preferred to remain unbeaten on 334

The decision I then took was in the team’s best interests and I don’t have any regrets... Similarly, when Hayden went well beyond 334, he did so in the team’s interests. No personal milestone has to be treated as being bigger than the team’s objective.

But, surely, you were conscious about 334 being a sacred figure...

To an extent, yes... Let me add that if you get too immersed in records, you will forget what this game is all about. And, it isn’t about records.

Who could do one better than Hayden?

(Laughs) Anybody who scores as fast as him.

The final question: Have you been impressed with Sourav Ganguly’s captaincy?

He’s good... However, he must improve his field-settings for the spinners. Also, at times, he would be better off being more flamboyant. (After a pause) Your bowling needs to improve, but the batting is awesome.