JOHANNESBURG: Last season, Mumbai Indians were one of the teams who really did not live up to expectations. Skipper Sachin Tendulkar’s absence owing to injury, Harbhajan Singh’s ban and a general listlessness ensured that Mumbai Indians were never really in the reckoning in the DLF Indian Premier League. And eventually, their luck ran out. It was almost as if Mumbai Indians quit the competition abruptly, leaving some unfinished business for the current season. So at the start of the campaign in 2009, Mumbai Indians coaching staff decided that the theme for this season would be `unfinished business'. The theme has been ingrained into the team’s psyche.It is very clear that Shaun Pollock and Jonty Rhodes’ presence in the support staff has obviously made a major impact in the way the team is handled. It was Pollock who came up with the team theme in conjunction with Tendulkar and senior players. He is not cast in the role of a traditional Head Coach, but the designation given to him is a more generic Chief Mentor.“The younger players in the team have grown up looking at him play. It shows that if you have somebody with stature, it works. It doesn't matter what is the title, you can call him anything,” says team manager Shishir Hattangadi. Pollock’s role is to look at the overall working of the team but primarily focus on the bowling department. Pollock has spent time working with the likes of Dilhara Fernando, who looked like buckling under pressure last season. Pollock also keeps the team motivated by showing different videos at team meetings.The Battle at Kruger on how a buffalo escapes the clutches of a tiger and a crocodile in the Kruger National Park was the first of many videos shown to the team. There was also a special screening of a video on Oscar Pistorious, the South African athlete who has had both his legs amputated and runs on blades. Then there is a set of videos which feature candid moments designed to make people laugh at people caught on camera unwittingly. These are known to be really funny and have had a positive impact on the team's functioning. These are screened at team meetings and have the entire team in splits. This is apart from the laughter provided by jokes narrated by Harbhajan Singh.Pollock is considered to be the brain behind these ideas. And it has gone down well with the rest of the squad. Rhodes, on the contrary, handles a set of players at a time and takes them to the main ground and trains them in fielding. His role is also that of a mentor, with focus on fielding. Still fit enough to play, Rhodes classes are a reflection on why the youngsters have a long way to go to reach his level.At the end of a training session, Rhodes takes the wicket-keepers aside and it is their turn to be put through the wringer. “Jonty is a specialist and is really best at what he does. To have him involved has been a great help,” says Pollock.The nets, which are usually outside the main ground, are an example of how Tendulkar is playing multiple roles. If it is Durban and an optional session day, Tendulkar is present training at the nets. Or if it is a pre-match day, like Tuesday, Tendulkar's presence is a master class for the younger batsmen.In East London, for example, Jude Singh, sought the master out for a few lessons especially with his backlift. Saurabh Tiwary wants to talk to him. Tendulkar spent close to 15 minutes talking to young Tiwary, who wants to ask Sachin about batting in South Africa. Then as the team moved to Centurion, Tendulkar was very much the focus.Tendulkar is also the de facto batting mentor in the team. He was the first at the nets and then trained furiously with the bowling machine. He batted for about 25 minutes before keeping an eye on the rest of the squad. He watches every batsman closely. Jean Paul Duminy listens wide-eyed as Tendulkar speaks.Even some like Bangladesh captain Mohammed Ashraful have grown up idolising the master. He is next in line, waiting to learn more about his batting from Sachin. But the focus so far has been players who are first choices for the playing XI and will then move to the reserve bench.It is very clear Mumbai Indians are functioning better than last season because of the involvement of specialists in each of the three departments. “It is about utilising the expertise we have in our areas. I look at the bowlers, you have Jonty. For batting you cannot go beyond the class and experience of Sachin and also Sanath,'” says Pollock.And then to round off the staff, former India batsman Pravin Amre works with the young domestic players. Amre, who is called assistant coach, is considered the bridge between the Indian players and Pollock and Rhodes. Mumbai Indians appear to have a clear plan for the season so that unfinished business can be tackled
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