The Sri Lankan team has always had talented batsmen, but it’s their ability to work together as a unit that has been lacking. Over the past couple of years, the white ball story of Sri Lanka has become about how many times they have collapsed, how much they over-attack at times when they should be controlling the tempo of a game and how often they can’t finish off the game when they are allowed to do so; which is why the arrival of Vikram Rathour feels less like the normal rotation of coaches but more like an emergency adjustment, on his consultancy from Jan 18 through to Mar 10.
A Specialist, Not a Symbol
While Sri Lanka isn’t employing a celebrity, they’re employing a problem solver. Rathour’s greatest strengths were always in providing the Indian team with repeatable batting processes to use under pressure, and he did this without attempting revolutionary changes in style. In his time at the helm of the Indian T20 team, there has been an increasing emphasis on clearly identifying match-ups, optimizing bat rotations through the middle overs, and selecting shots that provide control over spin, three areas where Sri Lanka have consistently lost control. This is truly consulting: Diagnose problems, write prescriptions for those problems, and then leave your client ready for tournaments.
Process Over Power in T20
Modern T20 cricket has moved beyond merely being able to hit harder; it now requires players to be smart hitters as well. Rathour’s approach to coaching can be seen in two forms. His emphasis on defining roles in both of India’s white ball formats, and through the batting templates that he uses for the batting side of Rajasthan Royals, emphasizes the importance of identifying who will attack the spinners during overs 7 – 12, who will absorb the high pace bursts that are likely to occur, and who will finish the innings without risking losing wickets earlier than they need to. The frequent failure of Sri Lanka has been a result of these roles being incorrectly assigned.
Borrowing From India’s Playbook
The larger story than just a new era for Sri Lankan Cricket is the fact that they are now heading down a path of discipline and structure that the Indian team has been using as their template since the start. Rathour and Sridhar bring a new philosophy to Sri Lanka’s team – one that focuses on the small skill sets (micro-skills), rehearsal for various scenarios, and an analytical approach to game planning. If Rathour & Sridhar can prepare the Sri Lankan team to the point of being ready to compete in a World Cup, then group B will provide them with the opportunity to do so when they open their campaign against Ireland in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on February 8.
Home Conditions, Away Pressures
The tournament will take place between two vastly different cricketing environments – Sub-Continent (India) and Home (Sri Lanka). Rathour has an extremely relevant experience for this tournament. For example, a bowler needs to be able to manipulate his deliveries when bowling on Indian wickets, and for similar reasons, he would need to do the same as he does in Sri Lanka. The biggest issue is not just adapting to both types of surfaces; it’s about pre-planning what you want to achieve on each type of surface.
A Short-Term Fix With Long-Term Implications
The appointment of Vikram Rathour by Sri Lanka is not a sign of weakness; it is an acceptance of what is now the norm in cricket. The ability to achieve success in T20s is no longer solely dependent on natural talent or innate ability, but rather on developing systems and processes around batting (such as roles and structures) and being able to exploit opposition lineups ruthlessly. In Group B, there is potential for significant gain and equally great risk, so every run will have to be earned with precision and exactness.
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