In the four years that Elton captained the Northerns /Mash Eagles, he lead the team to two Logan Cup wins so; he is not a novice at leading out a team. Granted that leading a provincial side even in a much-improved domestic league is not the same as the national team, but the principal of leadership is the same.
Chigumbura has unique leadership qualities
Elton Chigumbura’s leadership style allowed him to draw the best out of players like Regis Chakabva, Prince Masvaure, Admire Manyumwa, Trevor Garwe, and put to good use the experience of Gary Brent and Raymond Price.
This approach meant that he did not overload himself, by spreading the responsibilities evenly between the team he was always fresh to contribute at the crucial stages of a match.
Elton leads from the front with both bat and ball. One would describe his leadership style as lassez-faire with a hint of control, yet on the friendly side. It is no secret that batting is the problem area for the national team. If Elton is to have a successful reign as player and captain, the coach and the technical team will have to sort out the batting.
To use a boxing terminology, our batters do not have the stomach to handle the pressure and then dominate bowlers at this level. One had hoped that the inclusion of Sean Ervine would have strengthened the batting.
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Chigumbura needs to be patient
What Elton has to appreciate is that, things take time; he has only been at the job for a year, he cannot expect to change much within a year. Most cricket teams work on a four-year cycle, which commences from one World Cup to the next. So he should give himself at least three years before he begins to see any improvement.
He must not allow himself to be pressurised by people who demand instant success or by the supposed loss of his form. At this point the term transition comes to mind. In a four-year cycle, the transition period can take up to 2-3 years, depending on the amount of work that needs to be done. So as a new captain, Elton will only begin to see results in 2013, just in time for the 2015 World Cup.
At the peak of Elton form, the win/loss ratio of the team was in the negative. In the year that Elton has been captain the ration has not changed, for the problem is not Elton’s form but the team’s batting, the top order to be exact. It is far too early for Elton or anyone for that matter to judge his performance as the captain.
