Ex-India coach reveals why he approached a vulnerable Virat Kohli
What's the story
Former India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate has opened up about a technical intervention he made with Virat Kohli during the team's 2024/25 tour of Australia. The batting superstar had struggled throughout the tour, getting out while trying to drive balls outside off stump. The same mode of dismissal drew attention and raised questions about whether Indian coaches were doing enough to rectify it.
Coaching philosophy
Coaches afraid to intervene in players' matters: Ten Doeschate
Speaking on the talkSPORT Cricket podcast, ten Doeschate said that it's not easy to approach a seasoned international cricketer with technical advice.
He thinks players' growing influence in modern cricket has made many coaches reluctant to step in when senior players are struggling.
"I think a lot of coaches are afraid to make interventions because it can be seen that you are, you know, trying to justify your job," he said.
Intervention
Ten Doeschate wasn't scared to advise Kohli
Ten Doeschate was determined not to let the fear of a player's reaction stop him from giving advice.
He recalled approaching Kohli during the fourth Test of the Australia tour to discuss his repeated dismissals.
"I never want to be a coach who is scared of an opinion of someone else for stepping in, for saying the right thing," he said.
Balance
'Approaching a player like Kohli can be tricky'
Ten Doeschate acknowledged that approaching a player like Kohli can be tricky.
He stressed that coaches have to think about not just what they want to say but also how and when they say it.
He said, "But my sense is, for a coach to go to a player like Virat Kohli and intervene and almost call them out on what's happening can be dangerous for you as a coach."
Coaching approach
Coaching should be about discussion, not instruction
Ten Doeschate stressed that coaching shouldn't be about forcing a player to change his game.
It should be about understanding the batter's mindset and finding ways to make adjustments without taking away what works for him.
He said Kohli explained why he wanted to play the drive in a certain way, making it more of a discussion than an instruction.
Risk
Why coaches should be careful while giving advice
Ten Doeschate warned against introducing technical doubts into a batter's mind at the wrong time.
He said, "There's always a risk that you sort of unsettle his frame of mind. You know, he might be in a really good place, and now you say, 'You know, I've noticed when you're pulling...you're just taking your eye off the ball.'"
Dismissals
How Australian tour turned out ot be Kohli's last
That Australian tour proved to be his red-ball farewell, plagued by familiar technical woes.
Australian pacers relentlessly targeted his vulnerability in the off-stump corridor. Notably, Kohli was dismissed eight times in the same manner, consistently nicking deliveries outside off stump.
Kohli scored 190 runs across nine innings, with 100 coming from his unbeaten ton (100*) during the first Test in Perth.