Mumbai: Abhishek Nayar has moved to his subsequent problem in teaching life – and this time one thing completely completely different, contemplating his teaching resume to this point. On Friday, the previous India assistant coach, who’s at the moment additionally the assistant coach of the Kolkata Knight Riders (2024 IPL champions), was named because the head coach of the Lucknow-based UP Warriorz – one of many 5 groups in the Women’s Premier League. Nayar can also be the mentor of the Mumbai South Central Maratha Royals, the winners of T20 Mumbai League this yr. He has additionally been a mentor & motivator to a few of the prime batters in India cricket-India’s ODI captain Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer and Dinesh Karthik, who’ve credited Nayar with serving to them rework their sport.In an unique interview with TOI quickly after his appointment for the job, Nayar, a former India and Mumbai all-rounder shares his imaginative and prescient for the Lucknow-based aspect and what he can carry to the desk, particularly in the sunshine of his huge teaching expertise.ExcerptsThis shall be your first stint as head coach in a girls’s franchise league. What was it in regards to the UP Warriorz mission that made you say sure? You’ve performed a number of roles throughout Indian cricket—what makes this one stand out?Well, I’ve been concerned with them (in the previous) in a really small capability with regard to serving to them with camps and so forth, so I simply felt related to the franchise in any case.When a crew like UP Warriorz, with huge ambitions however no title but, comes calling—how do you strategy that problem as a coach? Is the title the benchmark, or is the method the precedence?I wish to hold issues easy. I do not believe in expectations. I believe in overcoming challenges and profitable a (WPL) trophy goes to be a problem, so I’m hoping as a crew collectively, we are able to overcome that problem.You’re taking on from Jon Lewis, who introduced a robust worldwide pedigree to the function. How do you propose to construct on that basis, whereas bringing in your individual teaching ethos?Jon and I’ve labored collectively in just a few camps and I loved working with him and learnt just a few issues about teaching girls cricketers. Every coach has his model and I’ve mine. Hopefully, the ladies reply to my model and we are able to put up an excellent present.From Rohit Sharma and Dinesh Karthik to KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer, you’ve had a large affect on many gamers’ progress. What’s the core of your teaching philosophy—and the way will that translate right into a franchise surroundings just like the WPL?My teaching philosophy is easy: Serve the participant and create an surroundings of excessive efficiency. I’ll attempt to follow that, after which depart the remainder to what’s meant to be.How intently have you ever adopted the evolution of ladies’s cricket in India, particularly because the WPL started? What excites you most about this ecosystem?I’ve commentated fairly a bit on girls’s cricket and have been concerned with the England girls’s crew because of Jon Lewis (former England & UP Warriorz head coach) in working camps, so I’ve a good thought with what is going on on.
Poll
Do you believe that Abhishek Nayar can lead the UP Warriorz to their first WPL title?
You’ve been concerned in three title-winning campaigns in simply the previous 18 months—throughout completely different groups and codecs. How have these experiences formed your management model forward of this new journey?Well, it has been an thrilling 18 months for me as a coach. I had a rocky begin, however alongside the way in which, the failure form of taught me what it takes to succeed. Now, teaching includes a good bit of luck and numerous arduous work. I will not fall brief on the arduous work and preparation bit. Hopefully, we’ve got some luck going our method.You’ve typically labored behind the scenes as a mentor, tactician, and motivator. Now because the front-facing head coach, how do you see your function evolving? Will your strategy change in any respect?(Laughs). Well, a head coach can also be behind the scenes. The sport is all the time in regards to the gamers, by no means a few coach. I used to be, and can stay behind the scenes whereas the gamers (rightfully) take the centre-stage.You’re a proud product of Mumbai cricket, the place resilience and that ‘khadoos’ spirit is a part of the DNA. Do you see your self bringing that mindset into the UP Warriorz setup?Nope. I believe in making an attempt to reinforce a participant’s DNA for them to carry out at a stage greater than regular, which in flip serves the crew’s goal, purpose and imaginative and prescient. What I did and the way I performed has and by no means shall be one thing I’ll attempt to inculcate in the gamers. It’s too brief a time to take action. But hopefully, offering a construction and path can create that outlook.