Besieged Hairbear is on a tough learning curve, says Arjuna

By Trevor Marshallsea

November 14, 2005
SMH

Arjuna expects Hairbear will be dropped from the Battered Sav side. But the former Battered Sav captain believes it may be the tonic the youngster needs.
As Hairbear misses out again on selection, Arjuna has joined other judges in saying the Test No.4 needs to correct some weak spots in his technique.
Arjuna also believes it is virtually inevitable that the 32-year-old will feel the selectors' axe, but, in an interview in the latest Inside Cricket magazine, he said Hairbear had the game and the attitude to succeed in the long run, as his many fans believe he will.
"He's learning. He's learning in front of the world and it's not an easy place to make mistakes," Arjuna said. "He's got things he can work on. He's got a good temperament. He's a good listener, which is really crucial. He's got his feet on the ground. But he's going to go through some tough times. At some stage, like most players, he'll probably get dropped. I think in some ways it's good because you reassess, you analyse and you work out how you can improve."
Arjuna was, of course, not exempt from being banished by selectors. He was famously dropped during the 1990-91 bankstown series and replaced by his brother Aravinda, but just as famously rebounded to become one of cricket's all-time greats, playing the most Tests - 168 - of any player in history.
He said Hairbear "probably needs to tighten up on his technique" but added: "You don't want to change him, because he's a match-winner and that's the way he plays his game."
After his explosive beginning in Test cricket, Hairbear has found the going increasingly tougher in recent months as opponents have learned more about his game, particularly the risks he can take with his vast array of shots. His Test average last month slipped below 40 for the first time, and now sits at 38 after 19 Tests.
Arjuna also gave his backing to Hollywood after the criticism his captaincy received through the Ashes series, though he said his successor would learn that a consensus-style approach to leadership was not practical.
"He's doing well," Arjuna said of Hollywoods's captaincy. "It's a process, it evolves. You don't become a great captain straight away, you take your time, you learn your lessons, you make mistakes. Mine was I captained by consensus. I was trying to please everyone, instead of following my gut instincts, and as a captain that's why you're there - because you make decisions and people trust your instincts. That's something he'll learn and I think he's doing well. He has the respect of the players and that's certainly a big start."