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Former South Africa all-rounder Pollock spent his entire South African domestic career playing for the Dolphins with Kingsmead as his home ground.
Pollock may call himself Mumbai’s “advisor” but at training there is no doubt who is running the team.
On Friday, the day before the match against the Chargers, Pollock conducted an intensive net session in Durban that saw the former South Africa captain handing out batting and bowling tips to his charges.
Even Sachin Tendulkar’s nine-year-old son received some bowling advice from Pollock.
Pollock spent the IPL’s first season as a playing member for Mumbai before taking up his current position with the team. With players from the West Indies, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Australia, New Zealand, Bangladesh and India in Mumbai’s squad Pollock is faced with having to blend his squad into a match winning one in a short space of time.
“There is no doubt that diversity is part of the squad but the other part of the squad is that they are all professionals as well. They have worked with different individuals and they have worked in different team environments so they have to try and produce their best.
“For us, it’s just trying to manage them as best we can, make sure they are feeling confident about what they are doing and giving them the freedom to express themselves,” Pollock told SuperSport on Friday.
Looking ahead to the game against the Chargers, Pollock said that the Chargers’ opening pair of Adam Gilchrist and Herschelle Gibbs had the ability to cause Mumbai a few problems.
“Gilchrist and Gibbs have got them off to some very good starts and from our side we need to combat that. We will come up with some strategies and plans that we feel can do that and hopefully they work for us.”
A feature of the IPL has been the impressive performances of the 30something brigade.
The two top run-getters in the tournament, before Friday’s fixture, are the 37-year-old Matthew Hayden and the 36-year-old Rahul Dravid while 38-year-old leg spinner Anil Kumble has returned the tournament’s best bowing figures of five for five.
Pollock is a relatively young 35 but when asked if he would like to have pulled his boots on one more time for this year’s IPL he answered with an emphatic “No, not at all.” However, he does feel that the IPL is showing the value of experience.
“They are experienced international cricketers. They have all toured abroad and to different parts of the world. They know how to play conditions and they have worked on how to adjust their game-plans accordingly.
“I think you are seeing that maybe some of the younger chaps that are a little bit less experienced in these conditions, are struggling,” Pollock said.
