The tag line of R Sridhar's book is 'My Days with the Indian Cricket Team'. R (and Kaushik, the co author) IS organised as ever AND has structured the book well - beginning with discussions on mastery, developing a winning culture, communication, dynamics of fielding, man management, captaincy, and cricket during COVID. Anyone who says he has learned all he has about coaching from John Wooden, the legendary NBA coach, has to be taken seriously. More so if he has been with the Indian cricket team in times when the team culture evolved so dramatically. After playing 35 Ranji games R decided that his career as a player was not going anywhere, picked up a coaching gig at St. John's Coaching, detested it, learned from former Hyderabad skipper and coach of the Irish teams Bobby Rao certain coaching techniques and fell in love with coaching. A stint with the HCA Under 19 teams, then the NCA, the IPL, the India Under 19 and the Indian team. Successful ventures all the way. Wisdom to be captured and he does that well.
R stresses that a coach is one who evolves from being an instructor, to a facilitator to an empowerer. In my understanding this is akin to saying that at the instructor level the player does not know the process and is taught, as a facilitator he makes the player aware of his process and instills the ability to think and catch oneself when the process is going wrong and in the third phase empowers the player to find his potential by knowing and working on his strengths and weaknesses. Perhaps his coaching philosophy also developed from what Rahul Dravid said about coaching - a great player is not necessarily a great coach. One must learn how to coach - it is a specialised skill.
In his first chapter R explains the path to mastery - hard work, the stubbornness to be the best, the quantity and quality of practice, the hard yards, aspiration, burning desire, getting harsh feedback and process orientation. Champs they say work the hardest and he cites the example of Virat who after a lean patch decided 'never again' and came back strongly with a lot of work. R's advise to Virat - be yourself - which is sound advise for anyone.
R's coaching maxim - Trouble the comfort, comfort the trouble - is apt. It is about doing what's not comfortable, what is outside your repertoire that makes you a champion as K Anders Ericsson says in his article on expertise. Deliberate practice is the key - work on your strengths and then work on things you don't know. R remembers Kohli catching 200 balls in twilight against a pink background - there's no substitute for putting in the hard yards.
Interestingly he cites the example of how he dealt with Rishabh who was rather apathetic to getting coached which is when R used his second coaching maxim was - If they don't like what you coach, coach them what they like. R says how he stopped giving advice to Rishabh and let him come to him for advice on his own. When the other person is ready to listen, then talk, Otherwise its a wasted effort. It worked and they formed a close bond and worked through certain issues well.
Much of what this team achieved was culture driven. It was about responsibility, role clarity, team work, doing the little things well with MSD, it was about aggression, fitness, winning from every situation with Virat. They knew they had to get the best out of their resources and created a culture of inclusiveness - both would make newcomers feel extremely comfortable. The mantra for the Aussie tour was not about not backing down but actually taking the fight to them. Ravi Shastri saying - for every gaali they give you give three gaalis, for every step they take towards you, you take two. Need aggression he said, and that he wanted no timid guys on the flight. Clear agenda.
Interestingly when Virat became the skipper and stated that he wanted the team to win from anywhere, chase anything, MSD told him quietly and wisely that he should also think about the team's capability, each one's limitations. Consider the strength of the entire team he said which Virat considered. There is a huge lesson there - MSD's success comes from knowing the limitations of the players and the team and not pushing past those. It's a huge thing. of course, one cannot fault Virat for trying but the difference is this - one is about pushing, the other is about facilitating.
One interesting tale is about how the team was dejected after losing against Sri Lanka - a game they should have won. Rvi Shastri said they were not leaving the room until they shed their inhibitions and figure how they want to play. It was mandatory for everyone to speak. The result - everyone said they should be fearless, they wanted brutal honesty. This is where it becomes interesting - when the 'why' is clear i.e. the decision to win is clear, the strategy comes intuitively - we need five bowlers to win and the five batsmen have to take more responsibility. Huge validation of why one must start with a clear why.
On treating new comes R throws some light on how both MSD and Virat would make everyone feel important and welcome. They gave them clearly defined roles. Virat telling Vihari and Prithvi Shaw (I think) that 'hard work does not know who works hard' - conveying to them the importance of working hard to succeed, telling them to develop an attitude of 'I'll do it when the best cannot do it' had its impact (on Vihari at least). Virat also told them about how at the top level it is all about clarity - about focusing on things you do and being present.
R stresses all through how it was important to align everyone with the team needs - be it their practices, strengths or weaknesses. What the team needs was paramount and they would work from that angle. Also how they would encourage new minds to talk since they come with new and fresh ideas. The motto of 'One for all, all for one, but team above all' was clearly spelt out. R recalls a match when MSD did not chase the runs and shut down and Ravi Shastri gave him the stick.
On communication R says it is the timing - the when and how which was most important to get the desired impact. One needs to be honest, needs to communicate the right vibe. He says how they had to convey that they were not nervous in a particular game and Ravi Shastri kept encouraging the players in the middle on every ball, no matter what happened. It sent a clear message that the team believed in them despite the dire situation. A case for encouraging open communication and getting ideas from the team was made when Sanju Samson got the idea of asking for a concussion replacement when Jadeja was injured. In came Chahal as a substitute and won the game for the team.
Coaching was also about setting the context and relieving the pressure as Shastri did when the team was in dire straits and was in danger of not qualifying for the Test Championship finals. 'Don't worry, enjoy your batting,' he told the batsmen thus relieving all pressure. 'It's OK if we do not win.' They played and won. It is important to build the right narratives in the right circumstances.
R says that one must give messages when the others are listening. In other words they talk of how one must be equal to communicate. I talk in terms of making the other person secure. Less is more, says R and I agree (though I fail miserably when in practice). Addition by subtraction, is the key. Listen. Ask questions. Put yourself in their shoes. R speaks of the different communication styles he saw - Duncan Fletcher's presentations were online and only he spoke while all else listened, MSD hardly spoke but I guess he was a master at communicating so everyone knew what he wanted while Ravi Shastri had everyone speak about their game plans each game. Something which R felt should be used sparingly - which apparently Ravi did not take to kindly. I cannot understand why someone of his stature cannot take an idea. That one line made me wonder.
As far as the fielding revolution was considered, of which R was an integral part as the fielding coach, he says he was egged on by Gavaskar's words that this was the second best team. The best was under Kapil when it was a consistent fielding unit. R says he tried to make it also a consistent fielding unit after that. He talked of how players would keep fielding optional and how only Ashwin and sometimes Sreesanth would show up. He spoke of MSD's clarity in what he wanted from him - work on agility for Ashwin to change direction quickly so it would help the team. Clear instructions.
R believes that one has to be a facilitator, not an enforcer. One nice piece of work philosophy is the one he picked from D Raghavendra, the throw down specialist who would say that one should 'work like its your first day.' Immense sense and it changed R's work ethic a bit. R is the proud holder of a ball signed by Virat that says - 'Thank you pushing us and allowing us to be at our best.'
About fielding dynamics, his area of specialisation R gives good advise. 'Catch with your eyes, throw with your feet,' he says. A good fielder should have athleticism, interest, good hand eye coordination, ball sense, anticipation, aggression, presence on field, the desire to create a piece of magic, a difference. Take your feet towards the target, run in straight lines, watch bat angles and anticipate he says. Get your feet in the right place first he says. Catching is about eyes. The eyes are the camera. Keep the head still. He laments the current superstar culture which compromises the team sometimes. One needs to have their feet grounded, listen to seniors telling stories of the wisdom they accumulated.
A fine line that John Wright said which resonates with MSD's limitation theory is this - 'You can make a donkey a better donkey, but you cannot make it a horse.'
Good man managers optimise their resources. R defines man management as - "Keeping each person in the best space available in that environment when performance is not forced out but becomes inevitable. Keeps them in the right mental space and help them be the best they can be.' Use their energies he says. Coach the person, not the sport. Sport is the medium to make them a better person. A coach moves a coachee from A to B. He makes a player think highly of himself. Like Mike Brearley mentioned in his book 'The Art of Captaincy' R also cites how each player is different. Sensitive Bumrah has to be gently told while Shami had to be told crudely to get under his skin. Everyone reacts differently and one must know how to push ones buttons. Or giving them options that suit their temperament and helps them express themselves like Rishabh who was getting out hitting the ball in the air and was told he could reverse sweep - an option he loved.
Don't make them want to like you, says R. Get them to respect you. That happens when you are clear about the team's good.
On captains R discusses the four skippers he has seen - MS, Virat, Rohit and Ajinkya. MS treated people in such a way that you organically developed loyalty to him. His philosophy is Tao-like - "Never want anything too much because you'll get attached to it. With attachment comes emotion which comes between you and what you want to achieve. If you want something, find a way of letting go of it and strike a middle path of detached attachment.'
Says MSD 'When you want anything too badly you tend to overthink and overanalyse. You get stiff and your body is not at its best. Let go and see the results.' Profound.
R says MS does the small things well. Focuses on them. Does not criticise anyone, is never openly harsh on anyone. Sys one must integrate fun into day to day thinking. MSD was about showing and not telling which is the best way. He was always available and kept an open door. He knew you and pushed you in the deep end, has the ability to give the right opportunities gauging the quality of opposition. He understands players and gives them a chance. Moin Ali says 'he encourages you, makes you feel good.' Like the team when he was being hit for 6s MSD told him, try to get hit for 4s,not 6s.
Kohli wants to win, is fearless, brings passion, intensity, demands excellence. His vision is to win every game. Every game was a home game. For Rohit, everyone is a captain and he urges them to make their plan. He relies a lot on data. I am glad R spoke about Rahane because he is in the MSD mould - he allowed everyone to blossom, to do their thing, and that he will be behind them. He patiently reminded them of the game plan. he could be tough when he wanted like the time he told Prithvi Shaw who wanted to go out to get back in position at short leg. He has an inclusive style.
R says a captain is only as good as the team. I do not believe that.I believe that a team is only as good as a captain.
R spoke about some of the failures - of not winning a single ICC Trophy etc. He lamented that they could have created a more secure environment for players. But I think you have done well and enough R. You should be proud of where you have traveled with this team in these past many years.
Many insights, finely presented with apt stories that put the players and coaches in the front. I loved reading it and recommend it to any one who is interested in coaching, cricket or otherwise. Well done R and Kaushik. I know that the book is doing well considering the speed at which it is disappearing off the shelves and the news around it. Now looking for an advanced coaching book next.
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