Former India fielding coach R Sridhar with Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri.
As cricket became more modern, one aspect soon became non-negotiable. Fielding.
- Last Update:November 23, 2021, 3:48 pm IS
- Follow us on:
A task was cut out when R Sridhar joined the team as a fielding coach. They had a poor run in England, where they lost the five-match series 1–4. The series not only saw some poor batting but also average fielding. The slip cordon dropped many catches and the team had to bear the brunt. “The immediate challenge was to improve the slip catching. We were a very good fielding team in white-ball cricket even at that time. So it was easy for me to push things in the white ball (formats), but the red ball was a challenge. And in the shorter format, the challenge was to bridge the gap between the good and bad days,” Sridhar told Hindustan Times in an exclusive conversation. “For starters, our slip catch conversion rate was around 64-67% across various conditions. Today it is 83-84 per cent.
Read also | Cheteshwar Pujara credits ‘fearless approach’ for bringing joy back to batting
As cricket became more modern, one aspect soon became non-negotiable. Fielding. The best teams fielded well and the captains liked Virat Kohli knew it. Sridhar recalled how both Ravi Shastri and Kohli had made it clear that they wanted the best from their fielders. “When I joined, MS (Dhoni) was the captain and all I had to do was talk to him about his approach and where he wants every player to be. Once I knew what his vision was and where his team should be for the 2015 (ODI) World Cup – though I wasn’t sure whether I would be there myself or not – I started working on those lines. So it was not about my vision, it was about Dhoni’s vision. And when Virat (Kohli) took over, it was about his vision. My job was to hone the skills of the team and connect them to the vision of the leaders. Ravi (Shastri, head coach) always mentioned that he wanted 11 best fielders in the park. And Virat has always emphasized that there can be no compromise on fielding.”
Read also: Final four Kiwi tour should give Williamson nightmare
Sridhar served Indian cricket very well during his stay. no one knows for sure, it was his effort behind the scene that made India A great fielding side and the team will reap what they sow during their stay.
get all IPL news and cricket score Here
,