CANDID CHAT

Kohli showing others the way to success: Vettori

by Manuja Veerappa • Last updated on

"To develop himself [Kohli] into a fantastic batsman and one of the fittest people in world cricket is amazing" - Vettori © TNN

Ever since Daniel Vettorimade his Test debut against England in 1997, he has come across as a cricketer with a cool and clear perspective. The former New Zealand captain's composure has helped him as a coach too, having been at the helm of the coaching staff for four T20 franchises across the world, handling numerous cricketers with different backgrounds and cultures.

The 39-year-old is currently the head coach of Royal Challengers Bangalore. He is also serving in that position with Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash League, England T20 Blast side Middlesex and recently, was roped in by Rajshahi Kings in the Bangladesh Premier League. The bespectacled Vettori has spent a lot of time with the Bengaluru side, first as a player-captain then as a mentor and now coach. RCB, who finished at the bottom of the table last year, appear a better balanced side this time around. The former New Zealand captain believes his team has what it takes to play exciting cricket in the weeks ahead.

Excerpts:

Are you happy with the balance of the side?

No disrespect to past RCB teams because we've had some very successful ones, but we feel we are more balanced than we have ever been and that is mainly down to the amount of Indian fast bowlers and all-rounders that we have. To have that at our disposal makes selection hard, but it makes it easy as well. We have good options, a lot of guys in form and a lot of guys playing at a high level. Fairly content with the team we have got, but we have to judge ourselves at the end of the season, not the start of the season.

How has your role changed with RCB over the years?

In the past, we relied on a few people doing a lot of work. That was one of the things that came out at the end of last season that maybe the coaching staff is a bit stretched and we wanted to specialise. With Andrew McDonald and Ashish Nehra around the bowling [department], and Gary (Kirsten) complementing Trent (Woodhill), hopefully we've got four coaches who can embellish the strength of our players, plus I will work [with] the spinners.

How much of the work gets done before the tournament?

A lot of work is done before the tournament starts because the schedule gets tight. Play-travel-play. Things will change, there will be variations in terms of how we do things, but a broad idea of who the right players are for that situation, what sort of teams we are going to come up against and our plans for that. It takes the stress away from that play-travel-play scenario.

Is there time/energy to iron out kinks?

That's where the experience of the likes of Ashish become valuable. He'll pick up on those things. He has such a rapport with the players, he finds it easy to talk about cricket and technique. And hopefully in the backroom, we have information to support whatever coaching tool Nehra is trying to use in that situation. We went from a team that was reliant on some key players in Virat, AB (De Villiers) and Chris (Gayle) to now an all-round team that can thrive in any conditions.

How is it to not have Gayle in the set-up anymore?

It will be sad. You look at what he has done for the franchise in the time that he has been here. We recently went through our records and he dominates all of them. He has been a fantastic player for RCB and it was tough to say goodbye. But the timing was right for us. We wish him well.

A title continues to elude RCB...

You set your goals around making the semifinals, anything can happen once you get there. It will be silly for us to sit here and say we are on target for the title because there are seven other teams who are all thinking exactly the same way. All we can do is select the best side and prepare them as best as possible. When you look at our team on paper, it is a very good team and we have to take it from there. If I could answer that question, we would have won a title, but I can't answer that question. It is a good team here that can hopefully get us to the semis, whatever happens from there... happens.

Do you feel the pressure?

I don't feel the pressure so much in terms of whatever happens, it has been so much fun being around RCB. And coaches always have a lifespan in the game. This will be my fifth year here. I am being very pragmatic, my feeling coming into this is that this should be the time of their lives for all our players. Why should it not be the same for all our coaches? We're going to enjoy this season, have a lot of fun and hopefully that culminates in some very good cricket.

What are the challenges of managing overseas resources?

There are eight successful international cricketers, who have all proven themselves. Five of them are playing Test matches at the moment and there is Brendon McCullum who is one of the most successful T20 batters in the world. In terms of managing, they almost manage themselves. Selection is always the tricky thing around overseas players and most of them are experienced enough to know not everyone can play. It's one of the reasons why you select players who can contribute even if they are not playing. For someone like Tim Southee, who I know so well, he can come into any game, perform, be ready to go and do the job. I don't think all players can do that. That was some of the mindset that went into selecting him. You think at the moment (Chris) Woakes is probably the bowler that we are looking at to start the tournament and if he gets injured or things don't go well, we know that Tim can jump in at any stage. There's a lot that goes into it - obviously selecting the best players, but also players that can handle being on the bench and contributing in a number of other ways.

And those different ways are...

Just being a good guy. It's a long hard grind not playing out here. It's travel, bowl at nets, you get ready for a game, and you are so used to playing that it takes a lot out of you not to play. Seems silly, you'd think a bit of a break might help, but the guys are desperate to play and to manage that within your environment and still be a good teammate, still want the team to do well... all those little things combine to make it a good unit. You see the teams that have been successful, Chennai and Mumbai, you see the likes of Mike Hussey at 38, 39, sprinting around. It might not seem like much, but it means a lot to a team.

How do you see the evolution in Virat Kohli?

I'm excited that he's resting. I'm not sure he knows how to rest. I've seen Virat at all stages of his career, he was there when I was the captain of the team, he was young and trying to find his way. To develop himself into a fantastic batsman and one of the fittest people in world cricket is amazing. He has set an example for all of Indian cricket. Everyone tries to train in a similar manner, it has taken the Indian team forward dramatically. That's a testament to him, how a leader should be showing the way. The thing I've found with Virat in particular as a captain - and obviously there's two sides to it -- there is the passion. Do whatever I can to win on game day. Off the field, he is very receptive to information, he listens and wants to learn, as well as having his own thoughts on everything that is going on in the game of cricket. So none of us can really appreciate the magnitude of his role and the pressure that is on him and how exhausting the schedule is. But he manages it better than anyone I have ever seen.

Maintaining his intensity..

There is a passion for cricket. If you sit down with Virat, you are talking cricket most of the time. He loves the game and that's the thing that keeps the passion going. Also, his personal success and his team's success. If you have an innate love for the game, it gets you through everything and I think that's the point where he is at. He obviously wants to be the best in the world, he's got the talent to do it, he has backed it up with intensity.

Is there a danger that others might fail trying to emulate him?

The main thing is that they are all trying it, seeing if it works for them. That's professional sport across the world, athletes at their absolute peak. I think the example is great and a lot of the guys are following that example. They have to find their own levels.

© TNN

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