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Former India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate has revealed that he carefully approached Virat Kohli about his repeated dismissals while driving deliveries outside the off stump. He admitted that coaches often hesitate to question established players but praised Kohli for welcoming his intervention.
Kohli endured a difficult run during India's tour of Australia, repeatedly falling while attempting to play drives away from his body. Fans and cricket experts questioned whether the coaching staff was doing enough to address the technical issue. Following the series, Kohli retired from the longer format of the game.
"A Lot of Coaches Are Scared" - Ryan ten Doeschate on Approaching Virat Kohli
Speaking on the talkSPORT Cricket podcast, Ryan ten Doeschate spoke about the delicate balance coaches must maintain when offering advice to established players. The former all-rounder recalled gathering the courage to discuss Kohli's recurring dismissals during the fourth Test.
"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, or you're interfering, or just saying things for the sake of saying it. You've got to strike the balance of making an intervention that's going to help the player, or confusing them."
"I never want to be a coach who is scared of an opinion of someone else for stepping in, for saying the right thing. I actually was just telling a really great story about Virat and the troubles he had in Australia with driving the ball and nicking off. Eventually, in the fourth Test, I went to intervene and chat to him. And he was brilliant about it! And he actually wanted someone to chat to him."
"He Really Explained Why He Wanted to Play" - Ryan ten Doeschate on Virat Kohli's Batting Approach
Ryan ten Doeschate revealed that the conversation developed into an open discussion rather than a one-sided attempt to change Kohli's technique. He also acknowledged that approaching a player of Kohli's stature could carry professional risks.
"You don't have to agree. You might say, 'I want to drive on the up for these reasons,' and that's actually what happened with Virat. He really explained why he wanted to play in the way he played, and then you can tweak around that," Ryan ten Doeschate 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. And I think getting the wording right around that and how you deliver it is so important. The way the power shift has moved towards the players in the modern era does mean that a lot of coaches are scared to bring up topics or at least get talking about it."
Ryan ten Doeschate Reveals How He Used Rain Break to Approach Kohli
Ryan ten Doeschate explained that raising an issue immediately before a batter faces a fast bowler like Mitchell Starc could create unnecessary doubts.
"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.' Technically, you might want him to watch the ball a little bit longer, but now all of a sudden he's thinking about pulling, and he's got to go out and face Mitchell Starc. So that's not the time to do it."
"He's obviously not someone who needs a lot of coaching": Ryan ten Doeschate on Virat Kohli
The former India assistant coach said he had spent considerable time thinking about how to raise the issue without making Kohli feel criticised. He eventually waited for a rain break during the fourth Test to approach the batter in a non-confrontational manner.
"In that situation, it had been bubbling away, and it was more a case of me building up the courage and delivering it in the right way. I was lucky enough to have a decent relationship with Virat. He's obviously not someone who needs a lot of coaching, and that was one thing that really stuck out-the manner of the dismissal being so same-same."
"So I had thought about it a lot, and I thought how I could deliver it. You know, I'm not going to go to him and say, 'Mate, you've got cover drives all over the show.' But I then worked out a time-it was during a rain break-where I could deliver it in quite a non-confrontational way. And credit to him, the way he took it on ended up being a really great discussion."
"Unfortunately, it didn't deliver the results we wanted towards the back end of the series, but you know, I'd say if you can deliver it to someone like him, you can deliver it to anyone. Just finding the right way of dropping your message is really important."
Following his departure from the Indian national team's coaching setup, Ryan ten Doeschate has rejoined the Knight Riders family as the Head of Cricket Strategy for Knight Riders Sports. His departure from international cricket was driven by his desire to spend more time with his family.
Also read: "I liked looking at the mirror" - Kane Williamson on conversation with Virat Kohli before retirement
