Coach’s report card gets thumbs-up

It is back to a school of sorts for the Indian teenagers at the U-19 World Cup.

It is back to a school of sorts for the Indian teenagers at the U-19 World Cup. As the nets session on the eve of their opening game against Papua New Guinea comes to an end, the Indian dressing room turns into a classroom. Coach Dav Whatmore sits on a chair with a small table in front of him, as 15 teenagers hang on to every word he says.

But for the missing blackboard in the background, this would have passed as a scene from school where students with fingers on their lips sat for a late afternoon period. Sitting closest to Whatmore

with a class monitor-like air of about him is captain Virat Kohli, who regularly nods his head as the coach takes stock of the session on the field.

As one speaks to Kohli, one concludes that the classroom comparison isn’t out of place, with Whatmore coming across as an affable teacher. “After every session on the field, all of us get a written report from the coach. Every aspect of a player’s game is put in black and white. There is an assessment of our show on the field, and at the same time, there are suggestions and observations that can help us for the future,” says 18-year-old Kohli.

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Unlike the trauma of scrutiny that is connected to academic assessment and the one these cricket-playing teenagers might be encountering at the real school, this sporting report card doesn’t give them sleepless nights. “Even if the coach has to point out a mistake, he is very positive. The way in which he puts across his views in the report card would never demoralise a player,” he says. Kohli says that every single player gets individual attention from this exercise and even minute aspects in their game are addressed.

This written report card also gives the players, most of whom happen to be small-town boys with an elementary knowledge of English, enough time to chew on the words of wisdom given to them at nets or team meetings by the coach, who, despite his long stint in the sub-continent, hasn’t been able to get rid of his Aussie accent.

Ask Whatmore if language is a barrier between him and his wards, and he turns to the captain sitting besides him. “Do you think the players have a problem understanding me?” he asks. Kohli answers with a quick and emphatic, “No.” At this, the coach goes on to explain how the Indian players have a better understanding of English as compared to his former wards in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Besides, Whatmore, because of his long experience of working with teams that didn’t share the mother tongue with him has found ways to work around this problem. During a complicated fielding drill, one of the players throws at the wrong end and spoils the rhythm of the routine. Whatmore is neither unfazed nor exasperated — he just throws the ball to Delhi boy Kohli and asks the erring player to merely follow the skipper’s action. The doubt having been cleared, the rhythm returns. It isn’t surprising that Whatmore while speaking to Kohli, always starts the sentence with ‘Son’.