'The current generation's batting preparation is as intense as Sachin's and Rahul's'
Sanjay Bangar, India's batting coach till recently, talks about plans in Tests and limited-overs, and how he approaches players with technical issues
The extent of my role is to look after the preparation part of the batting group. That doesn't necessarily mean just the batsmen, but also looking after the batting of the lower order. It is related to the preparation, understanding the needs of the players, understanding where they stand in the game, what form they are in, what they are working on from a technical point of view. My role includes all these things.
Nowadays international cricket is so cramped, you are playing one format over another. You do not actually get a period of inactivity before the start of a Test series, and then you go into the Test series, so you learn to alter your plans and modify the preparations lightly.
Not entirely. But the thought behind it is that the lower order has to chip in with the runs. That is what we saw in the Sri Lanka series, where the lower order did so well - [R] Ashwin, [Amit] Mishra contributing with the bat down the order. It also gives the bowling allrounder the responsibility of getting some extra runs.
"We do certain drills with a view to improve certain things in a player and we continuously do that till it becomes second nature - whether it be foot movement, movement of the player, position of the head in relation to the off stump"
I don't think in Test cricket there is one specific plan. I feel the more dynamic planning is related to the shortest format of the game. That's where you talk of how you can minimise dots, how you can target a particular bowler, at what phase of the game you want to accelerate - whatever target you are looking at, sixth over, tenth over, 13th-over mark. Then you look at the patterns of the bowlers bowling. There are certain bowlers a batsman is comfortable against. That is what you have in your mind - at this place, if I walk in and if this bowler is bowling, I will have the confidence to take him on. That is what every batsman tends to do in the shortest format of the game.
In Test matches, you have time on your side, so you don't plan as much as you do with your T20 cricket. Basically it is occupation of the crease, playing sessions and making sure that you are batting at a particular run rate, so you don't fall behind or become very slow.
The players need to trust you and have faith in you. It does take time for any individual who is new to a job. Now I am close to [being] in the job for two years, [so] the trust factor has developed really well between me and the players. When there is a loss of form, it is just going back to basics, trying and understanding what was the ideal performance trait of the player when he was doing well. What routines he had when he was doing well - whether he is watching the ball out of his hand, whether he is thinking of other things when he going out to bat, which are controllable. All these things you get to know when you interact with the batsman one on one away from the work. If you have a good enough rapport, it becomes easier to pass on your inputs on their game.
Nobody expects overnight results. There are certain habits that are formed over a period of years. Players are comfortable with certain things, and to move away from that the player needs to believe in whatever input is given to them. Basically it is the conviction of the player in accepting the inputs which they may feel will improve the game. If they take in that this will work for my game, then it becomes easy. Our thing is to plant the seed and walk away, watch and observe how the player is doing there.
For that you need to understand the technique of the player and apply the biomechanical principle that governs batsmanship - that batsmanship is all about stability and balance, which allows you to play the ball correctly and be in a position to execute your shot. All those principles about whether his alignments are good or not, if he is picking the bat up in the right fashion, whether his perception level is good or not. It all starts from the set-up phase of the batsman.
"In the last couple of series, we played with six batsmen and five specialist bowlers. We stressed a lot on guys who need to take more responsibilities as far as batting is concerned"
We do certain drills with a view to improve certain things in a player and we continuously do that till it becomes second nature, and then constantly monitor it with video footage - whether it be foot movement, movement of the player, position of the head in relation to the off stump. It basically means that you identify an issue the batsman is facing, talk it through with the player and expect him to accept that. Then you start corrective measures through drills and constantly make sure the player is remembering that and is aware of all those things. That is the process. It can work in a matter of seven days, but it also depends on whether the player takes it on board.
You need to pick the right time. If someone is batting well and you notice he is scoring well, you don't want to put a doubt in his mind. If something is working for him and is not causing any problem, it is okay. If there is a pattern of dismissal for the batsman, only then you have to touch upon certain things, and there too the timing is important - when and how, with what sort of mind you approach the player.
It is basically that you forge strong relationships and friendships. You do it at a subconscious level, wherein the player relies on you and trusts you. It is a relationship developed over a period of time. You are constantly travelling and the amount of time we spend off the field together is equally important for a player-coach relationship to work.
Between then and now, the preparations have only gotten better. The quality of preparation has gone up because of the additional resources we have. Having said that, the earlier generation was as meticulous about their preparation as the current generation is. That is one thing Indian cricket is blessed with. You have certain individuals who are totally dedicated to excellence. I think that legacy of the past generation has been taken by the current generation as well, who take pride in wearing that India cap.
It all boils down to preparation. I've seen how Rahul prepares at the NCA at the start of a series, or how Sachin prepared for Shane Warne - which is now part of folklore. All the batsmen - Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, or Cheteshwar Pujara - their preparation is as intense as the preparation of the earlier generation. They come really well prepared to meet the challenges of the series. It could be playing with a tennis ball, a synthetic ball, playing on surfaces which are dry or loose, where the ball is bouncing or gripping; whether they can play with soft hands at the start of the innings - those are the things that generally players do.
Being the head coach of an IPL team, I don't have to work too far on the techniques of the players. I basically lay down plans. It is a managerial role, where you are concerned with selection, administration, dealing with different stakeholders of the team, like sponsors or owners. It is also a cramped schedule. You have to set up a plan and do your preparations right. But I feel that being a coach of an IPL team is far more complex than looking after a particular department of a national team.
I don't have plans, but I will be on [the IPL] job till May 30, when the contract ends. The contract with BCCI ended on March 31. I will have to wait and see what transpires. I am very fortunate that I have a very supporting family and a good support system at home to take care of things. It becomes easier nowadays with technology. You can be away and still be in touch. I feel it is a tremendous honour, and for that you have to sacrifice some things. I hope to be able to continue to do so in the future as well.