After working with Pakistan, former pacer Aaqib Javed went to the UAE in early 2012 to coach a bunch of portly part-timers. In three months, he changed them so much that “their wives couldn’t recognise them”. In three years, he has changed the way cricket world sees the Associate team. Excerpts from an interview.

What’s the biggest change you have seen in this team?

UAE team used to be really unfit. Fat! And the mind-set. Not able to cope with short-pitched deliveries. We used to play with 4-5 spinners. Now we have seamers. We have improved in every part of the game. Did you see our first game against Mitchell Johnson? Johnson ko itna peeta! (In the warm-up game at the MCG, Johnson went for 32 in 6 overs.) Kyun? We worked so hard. I am satisfied. There is no fear factor now. Pace, bounce, bring it on!

How did they agree to do all this hard work with you?

They didn’t agree first! They had lots of excuses. ‘Coach, we are not perfectionists. Aap kyun aa gaye ho idhar?! (Laughs). I told them, listen to me, I have come to improve your overall life. They had a point. They would say, if you make us train so hard, how can we go to office? We will get very tired. I told them, that’s the concept I want to change. When you do hard work, you don’t get tired. You will get stronger. And your mind also will get stronger. Just give me three months. If you can’t find any help from this training after 3 months, I shall go. If you think you can’t work at office, feel very lethargic, let stop it.

In 3 months, all of them lost 8 – 10 kgs. Naye naye kapdey lene pade! Biwiyan pehchaan nahi paa rahi thi (They had to buy new clothes, their wives couldn’t recognise them). Here I would like to say a word about Khurram Khan, for without him I couldn’t have done this. He spoke to the team and helped me convince them. He bought into my philosophy. He made them realise this can be good for them. He is special.

What was the first thing that shocked you when you came to take over the job?

Their tummies! Their movements on field. And that team with four spinners, and one medium-pacer. The change started with me. As in, I had to set an example. I am not just sitting there and telling them to run or do something. If I run or bowl for two hours, I can at least tell them to run 40 minutes. There has been a huge improvement. Ab inse jo marzi karwa lo.

You’ve got a team where players are from different countries.

The challenge is to bind them together. We’ve set simple rules: 1) You’ve got to be honest, 2) you’ve got to be brave, 3) you’ve got to be hardworking. Nothing else. No religion, no nationalities. Nothing. I judge myself on that, I judge people on that.

You have the experience of being in a full-member side. What’s the difference?

It’s huge. I moved to Dubai because of family reasons. I was in a high position when I left Pakistan cricket…It’s easy to work with pros. Just imagine working with Dale Steyn, Umar Gul, Afridi, it’s real easy, but when you work with Associate teams… they are not very young people — some are 42 years old — and still convince them to work and improve was my major task. This is the first time people have seen UAE diving, playing short ball well, and fielding well. It feels good. When I took over, I had 3 goals: U-19 World Cup, T20 and ODI World Cup. It’s all done. Now it’s about a step forward… I think in two years’ time we will be the best Associate team.