R Sridhar reveals how Rishabh Pant’s unique style challenged his coaching techniques

R Sridhar, who served as the Indian cricket team’s fielding coach from 2014 to 2021, recently shared insights into his experience working with Rishabh Pant. Sridhar said that Pant, known for his explosive and unconventional batting style, required a unique approach to coaching.

The former fielding coach admitted that it was challenging for him to connect with the talented wicketkeeper-batter initially. Pant made his international debut in 2017 and quickly became famous for his aggressive and dynamic playing style.

R Sridhar reveals coaching challenges with Rishabh Pant

His unorthodox technique and flamboyant personality extended beyond the field, making him a tough figure to coach. Sridhar revealed that adapting to Pant's unique style was not easy at all, saying he had to adjust his coaching methods to better align with the Team India star’s natural approach to the game.

The former fielding coach admitted that it was a challenge for him to refine Pant’s technique without touching his flair, instinct, or flamboyance. Sridhar adopted a minimalist coaching strategy, emphasizing that sometimes less intervention is more effective.

Despite the initial challenges, Sridhar played a crucial role in shaping one of Indian cricket's most exciting talents, Pant. Sridhar’s coaching philosophy is simple: If they don't learn the way you coach, coach the way they learn. But his second theory worked with Pant, and he was really happy to be able to work with such a talented player.

With an athlete like Rishabh, less is more: Sridhar

Sridhar said on 'Anubhav Talks': “Rishabh Pant was a young kid, a teenager, 20 years old. Just come after the Under-19 World Cup. He made his debut, but you know it was difficult for me to connect with him initially. It was a challenge because he had his ways, so you let it be. It took some time for us to build that trust, and for that, I had to change my style of approach to coaching a little bit and understand where he was coming from and what he wanted.”

He further added, “There's another coaching theory. Give them what they want, till the time they take what you give. I started changing my style of coaching. Usually more is less, but with an athlete like Rishabh, less is more. At that level, at a very elite level, more often than not, less is more, especially when it comes to the technical side of it. They know; there are geniuses; they are champions.”

'Pant is now a better version of himself'

Sridhar revealed that he ‘had to course correct somewhere midway’. He added, “I said no; with this boy, 'less' is the way to go about it. Then I made myself redundant, and that is when the trick happened and we connected." The former coach said that it was great fun to play with such a wonderful, exuberant, and energetic athlete as Pant.

In the end, Sridhar said that he is happy for Pant that he is back and playing cricket after a horrific car accident, where he had suffered multiple injuries and missed cricket for nearly two years. He said that the present Rishabh Pant is a better version of him, and he is wiser now.