Legendary Sunil Gavaskar believes every IPL team must appoint an Indian coach to communicate with the Indian players in a better way. The majority of the squad is dominated by Indian players and Gavaskar said it is crucial for the franchise to address the language barriers.
The local players can sometimes struggle to understand what is said by a foreign coach, who communicates in English.
Only four overseas players are allowed in any IPL team’s final XI and thus seven players are Indian.
Meanwhile, foreign coaches like Stephen Fleming, Mahela Jayawardene and Andy Flower have enjoyed success in the IPL as head coaches.
Sunil Gavaskar wrote in his column for Sportstar, “Every franchise squad invariably has more Indian players, as only four overseas players can play in the XI. Plenty of the Indian players come from the interiors of the country, where English is not widely spoken. Therefore, when an overseas coach is speaking, much of what he says goes over the heads of these young players.”
“Here, it makes perfect sense for the franchises to hire an Indian as an assistant coach who can translate and convey what the overseas coach is saying. It is easier for the youngsters to approach an Indian coach who can speak their language, empathise with them, and help them overcome the nerves and anxiety of playing in front of the huge crowds that the IPL attracts.”
The former Indian captain said former Indian players like Piyush Chawla and Praveen Kumar are potential coaching candidates for the franchises. He also named his former teammate Balwinder Singh Sandhu as one more option.
“Names that readily come to mind include Praveen Kumar, a terrific swing bowler who cleverly mixed his deliveries and bowled the occasional bouncer to keep the batter guessing, and Piyush Chawla, another smart bowler who was part of the 2011 World Cup-winning team. If age is not a factor, Balwinder Singh Sandhu, too, has a deep knowledge not just of swing bowling but of the game itself,” said Gavaskar (via the aforementioned source).
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