By CricketCountry Staff
Former India cricketer Sandeep Patil opines that coaching is all together a different ball game, as many cricketers have started getting into methodical coaching, which he says will help Indian cricket grow further.
Published: Nov 28, 2011, 11:28 AM (IST)
Edited: Nov 28, 2011, 11:28 AM (IST)
Sandeep Patil is presently working as the director of cricket operations at National Cricket Academy (NCA) © Getty Images
By CricketCountry Staff
Nagpur: Nov 28, 2011
Former India cricketer Sandeep Patil opines that coaching is all together a different ball game, as many cricketers have started getting into methodical coaching, which he says will help Indian cricket grow further.
Patil is presently working as the director of cricket operations at National Cricket Academy (NCA) since the last two years, and is presently in Nagpur to conduct Level ‘A’ coaching course for the first class cricketers at the Vidarbha Cricket Association’s Residential Academy, the Times of India reported.
“We are happy and surprise that a lot of former international and domestic cricketers have come forward and contacted us about the programme. It’s great for the Indian cricket. The players like Amol Mujumdar, Sairaj Bahutule, Shiv Sunder Das, Hrishikesh Kanitkar, Sanjay Bangar, Sitanshu Kotak and Vikram Rathore have already done their Level ‘A’ course,” Patil said.
“In fact, Kanitkar, Bangar and Rathore have already been working with different IPL teams. Earlier, there was some kind of ego in former players that they know everything but now they understand that coaching is an altogether different ball game,” he added.
The former Indian cricketer added that coaching requires different mindset and different thinking, such courses organized by NCA will help players plan their future in a better way.
“What I did in the last 23 years as a coach and what I have been doing in the last two years as a director cricket operation is totally different. I wish I had an opportunity to do something like this after my playing days. NCA has got fantastic facilities and infrastructure and these players – some of whom are still playing – will only improve after these courses,” he said.
“No matter how great player you are, you have to start from zero once you enter into coaching. The methods; the knowledge; the managerial skills; there’s so much to learn through these courses. Now we have 29 out of 35 functioning academies in the country. So these former players can help their respective state teams and junior boys,” he added.
