They also serve who stand and coach

Kolkata Knight Riders Director of Cricket John Buchanan has given cricket fans around the country – and beyond – something to talk about with his multiple-captain theory; Royal Challengers Bangalore coach Ray Jennings dismisses talk that he would not share a good relationship with his captain Kevin Pietersen.

Indeed, coaches of the DLF-Indian Premier League teams have come to be in the limelight.

On the contrary, there are coaches who are critical cogs in the wheel, spotting and nurturing players. Encouraging their trainees to pursue their dreams and living their own dreams through these lads. And, while they may not be discussed with as much passion and enthusiasm as a Buchanan or a Jennings is, they know they are important, too.

Naushad Khan is a case in point. He goaded Kamran Khan to leave his home in Azamgarh and dream of playing ‘big’ cricket. Today, Kamran Khan has the eye of a Shane Warne and a IP contract with Rajasthan Royals worth Rs 12 lakh. Naushad has another of his proteges, Rahil Sheikh, expected to make waves in the DLF Indian Premier League.

All such coaches seek is a combination of raw talent and commitment from their wards. Delhi Daredevils captain Virender Sehwag may be a household name today but many years ago he convinced his coach AN Sharma that he was destined for laurels. “The light was fading and I told my trainees to pack up. Viru was batting at the school nets and told me ‘No sir. I can see the ball, let us carry on until I perfect the drive’,” recalled Sharma.

“Get your basics right, before you try to improvise,” says the seasoned coach Arun Bharadwaj. “There is a natural tendency among youngsters to imitate heroes – and they believe a hero can’t do anything wrong – but it must be remembered that only the very talented can improvise. So, I will always advocate trainees to get the basics right before they try playing the risky shots.”

It is a clarion call that you can hear around India. Out in Hyderabad, home of the Deccan Chargers which has some amazingly creative batsmen, former Ranji Trophy player Vijay Paul tells his wards to eschew risks. “Today’s youngsters are very observant; they watch TV and try some of these innovative strokes at the nets,” he says.

“We are constantly telling the lads to remember that strokes like the paddle sweep, the switch hit, the reverse sweep and the scoop over the wicket-keeper’s head all entail huge risks that they cannot afford to take in the longer version of the game. And that is what these lads play much of the time,” says Paul. “But we don’t curb their urge to add new strokes to their repertoire.”

Most coaches use an unconventional approach to make a good player better. And Sewhag’s mentor AN Sharma used two. In a candid chat, Sharma revealed the secret of Sehwag’s strong forearms that belt the ball away with the kind of power that most batsmen only dream of. “We used to have bat covers made of fabric. I filled a bag with sand and slung it on Sehwag’s back and asked him to bat. I knew it would help him develop power and hit the ball more fiercely.”

Sharma also recollects that Sehwag used to drag his backfoot constantly when at the nets. “Viru, you can’t give your wicket away so easily to the opposition. Let it earn your wicket.” Sharma then anchored Sewhag’s backfoot by tying one end of a rope to his right leg and the other end to a pole behind the nets. That did not let him drag his rear foot across the crease.

Interestingly, Sehwag has only been stumped out five times in his international career. And it is a good guess that he has been stumped not because he has dragged his foot across the crease but because he has been beaten after dancing down the track as Sri Lankan spinner Ajantha Mendia managed in the Asia Cup final in Karachi last year.