Vikram Rathour’s journey as the Indian team’s batting coach since 2019 has been remarkable. He witnessed the team’s embarrassing 36 all out in the Adelaide Test in 2020, but those bitter memories were wiped away when India won the 2024 T20 World Cup in Barbados.
Rathour looks back on his coaching career in this interview with Sportstar.
Q: How do you look back at your tenure as a batting coach after serving the BCCI and Indian cricket as a national selector?
A: I’ve been incredibly fortunate that my journey has progressed within Indian cricket. I served as a selector for four years, starting in September 2012. Coaching has always been my first love, and I transitioned into that role before becoming a director at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association. Eventually, I had the opportunity to work with the Indian team. Throughout this incredible journey, I’ve experienced many ups and downs, gained invaluable knowledge, formed lasting friendships, and built excellent bonds. Working with a great set of boys has been truly rewarding.
Q: What was on your mind when the offer came to you? Was deciding between coaching, selection, and ultimately being in the dressing room challenging?
A: When I returned from England in 2010 (after retiring, Rathour lived in England for a few years), I got into coaching right away. I was coaching the Punjab team, then worked with the (Indian Premier League) franchise Punjab Kings for a few years. Then the selector’s offer came, to which I said yes. Once I was done with the selector’s job for four years, I was always good to go back to coaching; there was no doubt that I enjoyed working as a coach. It wasn’t a difficult decision because that was always something that I was looking to do. Coaching and working with the Indian team are ultimately necessary in this profession.
Q: Before this coaching job, did being a selector give you a deep insight into the state of Indian cricket?
A: It did. I worked as a selector for almost four years. So, you’re right; much travelling and interaction with all these current players helped. Once the players know you and interact with you, things become easy.
Q: Did you believe Indian cricket would become the behemoth it is today?
A: Not really, but when I returned from England in 2010, it was eye-opening. I could see that Indian cricket had changed completely; it was on a different platform. You could see many teams with better infrastructure, grounds, and stadiums. Every team had a batting coach, a bowling coach, and a fielding coach. These things were not known to us when we were playing. The emergence of the IPL changed everything in Indian cricket for good.
Q: What did you learn as a selector? You had to make some tough decisions.
A: That comes with the job. Selection isn’t just about choosing players; it also involves the difficult task of dropping someone. It wasn’t an easy job, nor was it something I enjoyed. During that period, the team was in transition, with many senior players gradually being replaced. Thankfully, it all turned out well.
Vikram Rathour on Rahul Dravid: He is the best coach I’ve worked with. | Photo Credit: PTI
Q How did you tell a player, ‘Look, you’ve done well but could have done better to keep your place’?
A: Communication is crucial. When discussing someone’s career, it’s not necessary for people to agree with you. However, by at least talking to them, you can convey your perspective. Once you’ve made your point, you feel they can move forward. It’s a delicate matter. As a selector, I observed many young cricketers. This experience was invaluable when I became a coach. Watching a player in a live game gives you a different perspective than what you read or hear about them.
Q: How did you deal with big players?
A: You need to be fair with them. I always believed it’s better to err on the side of giving one extra chance than one less. It would help if you provided one more game or extra opportunity. But there are still some decisions to be made. And sometimes, unfortunately, things don’t work out with some cricketers. And there are times when you need to move ahead.
Q: Sachin Tendulkar was a big fan of your batting. Where did you err?
A: I didn’t end up playing more Test matches or, you know, doing more for Indian cricket. So, that will be a slight disappointment. I was never frustrated because I knew I had given my best. But some things were not meant to be. I didn’t find it difficult to move on.
Q: How much could coaching have helped you as a player?
A: In those days, there was minimal coaching. As a player then, perhaps guidance would have helped me, but it’s hard to say for sure. Who knows if it would have made a difference? When I served as a selector, I made it a point to initiate conversations whenever possible.
Q: During that phase as a selector, can you share some of the players who struck you as a longtime investment?
A: We picked Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan and even helped Rohit Sharma grow as a player in his initial phase. But to say that everybody we picked went on to become a good player is not true. There were a few players who could have done better.
Q: What was your roadmap for India’s success?
A: As a batting coach, I knew the areas Indian cricket needed to work on. Opening the innings was the most important. We were always struggling when touring. At that point, we were looking for middle-order batters in the ODIs. The lower-order batters could have done better.
Vikram Rathour on Ravi Shastri: Great man management skills. He doesn’t let a poor session or a match affect him too much. | Photo Credit: K.R. Deepak / The Hindu
Q: Can a player take to coaching easily?
A: Coaching is a different skill than playing. You may not have been a successful player, but you may still be a good coach. Like any other skill, I had to learn it. I did my Levels I, II, and III with the BCCI and Cricket Australia. Learning never stops.
Q: What does a batting coach do?
A: When working with the Indian team, you’re dealing with an elite group of players who already know how to bat. There’s no need to teach them basic techniques like playing a cover drive or a pull shot. Instead, the focus is on understanding and implementing tactics—knowing what strategies to use under varying conditions and how to adapt to different situations. It’s crucial to have insightful conversations with the batters, challenging them at key moments. The primary responsibility is to prepare them thoroughly for whatever lies ahead.
Q: Can you elaborate, please?
A: If you’re going on a tour or if we are preparing for the IPL or T20 World Cup, what are the areas he bats in? What are the shots he plays? The opposition will look at the same graphs and data as a bowling team or a bowling group. I’m looking at the data on how to bowl to him. I prepare him for what the opposition is going to explore.
Q: How has the approach to T20 batting changed?
A: When I joined, we batted using a traditional method. We batted with an anchor who looked to bat deep with the tail around him. We were lagging behind the other teams. We had to play with more intent throughout the innings. It changed in the last two World Cups. We didn’t have someone who could bat at No. 8 in the previous World Cup because of the injury to Ravindra Jadeja. You have to have a decent No. 9 who can bat. This time, we had Axar Patel in that position. That gave a lot of freedom to the batters, even though the conditions were not favourable. That’s the new template. We are playing more aggressive cricket and looking to score par-plus every time.
Q: The approach to Test batting changed, too. We hardly see matches lasting five days. Do you think defensive batsmanship to save a game is a relic of the past?
A: Yes. There are two reasons: the emergence of T20 and white-ball cricket. People are batting differently. Batters are playing more positively and taking more risks, so wickets also fall more regularly. The Test Championship has contributed, too. Every team wants to win to earn points. You are batting on more challenging pitches, with the home team wanting to win. A draw is in nobody’s interest. You look to win every game. I can only see a few draws happening in the future.
Q: Rohit has refined his white-ball game over the last two years. What sort of work went into changing his intent at the top?
A: It was his thinking. As captain, we extensively discussed adding more aggression to our batting approach. The character that he is, Rohit, is keen to lead the fight from the front. Rather than telling others to do it, he wanted to do it himself. And he did that. He has been phenomenal with his batting approach. It rubbed off on others, too. They were inspired by what the leader was doing. He did not hold back, even when he failed, at times, and it helped the team.
Q: How has India enjoyed some great Test success overseas during your tenure?
A: We became a successful team overseas due to our bowling unit. The bowlers started picking up more wickets. The change began when Virat and Ravi (Shastri) were together. They decided to always play with five bowlers. As a batting group, we prepared better. This generation is better equipped to deal with fast bowlers and short bowling.
Q: We also saw a transition, with senior pros like Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane giving way to juniors. How did you go about this process?
A: Both of them had done well for a long time, but then you have such muscular bench strength in Indian cricket. You have young players who are well-equipped to handle any situation and bowling. The team boasts a solid lineup with emerging talents. Shubman Gill, for instance, has made his mark, and Dhruv Jurel played an extraordinary innings in the last Test match against England. As the next generation steps in, the future looks even brighter. A lot of credit goes to how domestic cricket is played in India, producing players, who are ready to step into international cricket.
Q: Do you think bowlers who are poor with the bat are a thing of the past? We have seen the emergence of R. Ashwin as a Test batter. What sort of work went behind it?
A: One of the key areas I worked on, and I would love to take credit for it, is lower-order batting. I worked extensively with lower-order batsmen. I would give them more batting practice. It helped. We are contributing more in the lower order now than before. Ashwin was always a good batter. He had Test hundreds before I joined the team as batting coach. He loves to discuss a lot of cricket. There was a slump and he worked on specific areas. He rediscovered himself as a Test batter.
Q: What are your impressions of Virat Kohli as a player and a captain?
A: Virat is the best batsman of this generation in all three formats. He is a phenomenal player with a great work ethic. Virat works hard on his game and wants to do well every time he bats, wanting to win every game he plays. That is his best quality. He has a fantastic ability to adapt. He can change his game according to the situation. He plays all three formats differently. As a captain, his trait is to play fearlessly. He taught the team to stand up to the big teams. He puts the opposition under pressure with his aggression as a leader. He introduced the concept of fitness in Indian cricket and changed the team’s mindset.
Q: How is Rohit as a player and a captain?
A: He is exceptional. I call him a player’s captain. I haven’t seen anyone who spares so much time for the players. He backs his players. The players also know that he will be there to support them if things go wrong. He is part of every meeting. He also wants to sit in the batter’s and bowlers’ meetings. He wants to know everything discussed to implement it in the field. Tactically, he is marvellous. He does certain things that will surprise you. You wonder as to why this guy is bowling at this juncture and why this guy is fielding in a particular position. Eventually, it turns out that Rohit is spot on. He reads the game well.
Q: Your biggest challenge would have come in Australia, when India played with almost a B team, came back strongly, and won an epic series.
A: We prepared well for that series. We were there early; we had some practice sessions. Those were COVID times, and we were in isolation. We had an exclusive practice area, which gave us an excellent opportunity to work and prepare well. We were in a perfect position in the first Test, and the 36 all-out happened. It was a freak session. The message in the group was simple: There’s nothing wrong with what we did. Let’s not start overthinking and overanalysing. We did not panic. It turned out to be one of the best series ever.
Q: Coming back to the T20 World Cup, did playing on those poor pitches in the USA help before the Super 8 stage?
A: It was too challenging. Those are not the pitches on which you should be playing T20 cricket, but they helped us. As a team, you want some tight games. One of the areas we needed to get better at was batting first. We were always an excellent team chasing. It was good to see that we could put up challenging totals.
Q: Were you stern as a batting coach?
A: I don’t believe in that philosophy because mistakes are part of the journey and process. Keep moving forward, learning from your mistakes, and practising your strengths or areas for improvement. You will be fine if you keep preparing well and practising those things sincerely.
Q: What did you learn from Ravi Shastri during his team as head coach?
A: Great man management skills. He doesn’t let a poor session or a match affect him too much. After the 36 all out, his reaction was brilliant. ‘Let’s wear it as a badge on a shirt. And let’s be fine. Let’s keep the chin up’. He likes to keep good vibes in the dressing room. I had a great time being with him.
Vikram Rathour: I would give a lot of credit to my (wife) Deepali for allowing me to focus on my job. She managed the house beautifully and brought up the kids (son and daughter) with affection and discipline. | Photo Credit: RV MOORTHY / The Hindu
Q: And how was the experience with Rahul Dravid?
A: Rahul is the best coach I’ve worked with. He has a great character and is good at what he does. He talks well, is very thorough, and is disciplined with his coaching. He took over when India was in a transition phase with significant challenges ahead. We were good friends. And we are even better friends now. The expectations were higher when he joined. He was calm and composed through these challenging times.
Q: What was this talk of India changing the pitch ahead of the 2023 ODI World Cup final in Ahmedabad?
A: I’ve heard this story that the pitch was different, which I don’t agree with at all. We played on similar wickets in the earlier matches as well. Matches against Australia, Pakistan and England were also played on slow pitches. The Ahmedabad pitch, however, eased out.
Vikram Rathour: The open-bus ride in Mumbai [after the T20 World Cup win] was unforgettable; it was the first time I had seen such a huge turnout on Marine Drive. | Photo Credit: Emmanual Yoigini / The Hindu
Q: What were your memorable moments from the T20 World Cup?
A: Suryakumar (Yadav) taking that catch in the final. Jasprit Bumrah won it for us, honestly. What he did as a bowler is beyond explanation; the level of control he demonstrated is unbelievable. We are incredibly fortunate to have Bumrah on our team. Also, Hardik (Pandya) came good when needed.
Q: What is your biggest takeaway as a selector and coach — picking Jasprit Bumrah, winning the series in Australia, or winning the T20 World Cup?
A: Both. Australia will always be a very special series for us. We played different formats and faced challenging situations, especially after Virat’s (Kohli) departure following the first Test. We had new players, initially net bowlers, stepping up to play Test cricket. The open-bus ride in Mumbai [after the T20 World Cup win] was unforgettable; it was the first time I had seen such a huge turnout on Marine Drive. It was an incredible experience.
Q: What are the reasons for such a healthy state of Indian cricket?
A lot of credit should go to the BCCI. The infrastructure in place and the level of competition are remarkable, with around 3,000 domestic cricket matches held annually, which is unheard of. You will keep churning out exceptional players because you’re playing so much quality cricket.
Q: When identifying a player for big platforms, is it only about talent?
A: We put too much emphasis on talent, which is the skill to bat or bowl. Eventually, I learned that there are bigger things in cricket— your decision-making. Are you under pressure? What is your character when under pressure? How do you deal with adversity? So, those are the things that matter more than just having talent.
Q: How about IPL?
A: IPL has helped in a big way because that has given a lot of confidence to many players. You are competing with international players in a domestic tournament, which is excellent. When I played for the Indian team, the only guy who bowled 140+ kmph was maybe Javagal Srinath. I had played him only once. So, that was my exposure to fast bowling. Now, people are playing against the best fast bowlers in the IPL. So, their experience is entirely different. It’s easier for them to handle that pressure.
Q: How about your family’s contribution during your successful tenure?
A: I am deeply grateful to my family for their unwavering support. I owe a great deal of credit to my wife, Deepali, for enabling me to concentrate on my work. She managed the household brilliantly and raised our son and daughter with love and discipline. Despite my constant travels, my family has always stood by me. I am indebted to them as they are my most dedicated support team.
Comments
SHARE