I find Ashwin very unique, says Paras Mhambrey Premium

Paras Mhambrey reflects on his 31-month stint as India's bowling coach, sharing insights on players and strategies.

All’s well that ends well. After ending his 31-month association as India’s bowling coach, Paras Mhambrey – a member of Rahul Dravid’s trusted lieutenants from the batch of 1996 – opens up on his stint and spells out the secrets of India’s squad and some of the individuals. Excerpts

For me, two and a half years would be satisfying on a personal front. I still remember taking up this assignment two and half years back when Rahul (Dravid) called me and asked me if i would be interested in doing the Indian team. I had worked with Rahul prior to that with the junior team and the A (set-up), so there was a great rapport with him and obviously based at the NCA also helped. It was a no-brainer for me. I just grabbed the opportunity, happy to work with the elite, the best in the world. It was rewarding. It was satisfying. A great opportunity to learn from the best.

The more you interact with someone like Ashley, Rohit (Sharma) or Virat (Kohli), there’s a lot to learn about the batters’ perspective... I feel Ash (R. Ashwin) is one of the greatest match-winners this country has produced. To be able to learn from him. To be able to have those conversations. I have grown as a person and as a coach as well.

It’s been a wonderful stint, a lot of happy memories. Yes, there were challenges as well. I wouldn’t deny that and glad that we overcome that, that one important ICC Trophy hurdle that really eluded us for such a long time. I am really glad and happy that finally we could win that tournament and that was the end of the association.

Let’s talk about the World Cup that happened in Australia. If you look at the way the semifinal went — when you lose in the manner we lost — people do talk. I do understand that a lot of people have an opinion and everyone was upset. Not only the public but the players themselves were very upset and that hurt us. People do conveniently forget also that the host nation didn’t qualify (for the knockouts).

Can you imagine if that would have happened in India that the host nation wouldn’t have qualified. We sat down and said what do we need to do differently. To reach the semifinals of the T20 World Cup in those conditions, you know we had done well, but we needed to think back and say what do we need to do differently. We sat and with Rahul and everyone said okay, what are the things that we need to work on and what are the pool available with us and how do we work there? So the plan actually started from there.

The next target was the 50-over World Cup, in India. We knew what the pressures were. We knew what we were about to encounter because when you interact with people, everyone wants to win the World Cup, right? You can’t run away from it. How do you kind of cocoon yourself from the fact that yes, there is the World Cup coming in. Yes, it’s in Indian conditions but eventually you will have to play good cricket.