David Gower Q&A

Gower swapped his bat for a microphone

David Gower played 12 Tests in India during his career but retired after being overlooked for the 1992-93 tour. Rakesh Sharma caught up with the former England captain for BBC Sport Online.

Q: The transition from player to commentator - how smooth has it been for you?

A: We all know that at some stage you have to stop playing. Sometimes it is your decision, sometimes it is the selectors' decision. In my case, it was a combination of the two.

At times in the winter when I was not playing for England, I did some broadcast and newspaper work. When I sensed 'OK, fine, you are not picking me, I'll quit the game', there were jobs waiting to be filled. So I was very quickly into it.

It is a very good way of maintaining your friendships, avery good way of maintaining interest in the game. It keeps you involved. So here we are.

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Q: You mentioned the selectors. In the 1992-93 season, your presence in the English tour party was quite badly missed by Indian cricket followers.

One of the great stylists of the modern era

A: It disappointed me too, rest assured of that. In '92 at home, I had got back into the team after a year or so's absence.

I thought I had played reasonably well against Pakistan. I got some runs at crucial times and was looking forward to extending my Test career. And then we had this sudden turnaround.

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Q: They cited age as factor as you were then 35, but Emburey and Gooch were in the side too.

A: If you are going to be honest about it, the reason, I am pretty sure, is that at that stage Graham Gooch was captain of the side. When he last captained me abroad before that, in Australia, we had fallen out.

Emburey was very experienced, Mike Gatting - who hadn't been in the side in the summer and is the same age as me, maybe a year younger - was told that he could go.

So trust me, the excuses that were offered or the reasons that were offered, covered up a little worry that Graham might have had as to how we would get on together.

It's all forgotten now. It's all in the past. He has moved on. He is going to be coaching Essex next summer - and my work is talking. So I am the one that gets to talk.

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Q: There are certain players, Brian Lara and you come to mind, who generally walked when they knew they were out. Very few people will do that now in contemporary cricket.

A: It's nice to be in the same sentence as Brian Lara, I am very flattered by that.

It's quite simple and doesn't need much explaining. Cricketers in general feel that to maintain a career, you have to give yourself every chance.

Ganguly: Different era, similar approach

People think that there will be times when it will go against you. Therefore, you have to try and make up for that by bringing the odds back in your favour at other times.

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Q: The closest current player to your off-side stroke-making that comes to my mind is Sourav Ganguly.

A: Sourav has the same sort of ease when the shots go well. Languid was the word used about me at times. Languid ease is nice to watch.

A lot of people are now using heavy bats, even Sachin (Tendulkar) uses something that is probably heavier than mine was.You need a certain strength to actually manipulate a heavy piece of wood consistently for a long a time.

Each individual has to make a decision on how he is going to play, and what sort of bat he is going to use. For me, whenever I tried playing the muscular game, I couldn't do it.

To each his own. The harder I tried to hit it, the more my timing went. That was my style by default, really.

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Q: You played then with a lighter bat?

A: Probably light by today's standards. My bat was about two pound eight ounces. I couldn't use the bat that Ian Botham did.

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Q: So is it timing or power?

A: For me it had to be timing. In Ian or Sachin's case they have to have a big bat, but we all need to time it.

Gower led England to victory in India in 1985

Anyone who is going to get the ball spinning out into the outfield for a four, it's a question of timing first.

It's like a golf club. You hit it as hard as you want, you mistime it and it goes to the wrong place at the vital moment.Technique has to come in first.

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Q: What is the recipe for David Gower's timing?

A: It came from whichever God is looking after me. I have to thank my parents really. It is something I have inherited.

Cricket is by far my best sport. I play a little tennis now as a bit of relaxation and still time a tennis ball, but not as well as I time a cricket ball. I can't play golf to save my life.

In all these sports, whenever you are making contact, the combination of eye, hand and weight is what timing is - the body goes in position at the right moment, at the right instant.

It's there. You have to work with it and make it work but it is there.