Under-19 coach Hrishikesh Kanitkar yearning to meet new challenges | Cricket News – Times of India
PUNE: If success needed a ladder to climb, Hrishikesh Kanitkar would first want to build the ladder himself, before climbing on it.
No matter how clichéd it may sound, the former India player – twice Ranji champion skipper with Rajasthan and a domestic coach with the ability to instill a different level of confidence into the team – is a firm believer in the process.
Pune-based former Maharashtra captain Kanitkar, who had been involved with the India Under-19s for the past few years as batting coach with Rahul Dravid at the helm, has now been appointed as head coach of the India squad for the U-19 World Cup to be held in Trinidad and Tobago from January 14.
“This is quite a talented team and is keen to do well. They want to win and play for India one day. They have their dreams and aspirations set high and working consistently towards reaching there,” Kanitkar, who played his only two Tests during the dreaded Test series Down Under in 1999-2000 told TOI in an interview. Being the batting coach of the U-19 team during the last World Cup and with his association with the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru, Kanitkar knew the top job would be just a matter of time.
“I was the batting coach when we played the last World Cup and since then I was at the NCA and was assigned to U-19 players. Because of the Covid situation, many activities didn’t take place but now I am back with the NCA as the head coach of the U-19s. With all this, there was a good possibility I would get the role. However, the best part is to help this group of cricketers find their way, as they haven’t played much of first-class cricket. You have a chance of making a positive impact. I find myself fortunate that I am getting this opportunity and if I can help them, they can go a long way,” Kanitkar, who also played 34 ODIs for India, said.
Kanitkar, 47, said, “As players, we put a lot of pressure on ourselves. Usually it is our own expectations that wear us down. The pressure comes with the thought of consequences. But if you take the result part out, you are left to focus on what you need to do. Rahul also strongly believes in this. If you play your best, you have done your everything.”
Kanitkar has been instrumental with his role as coach and mentor for various teams. Other than playing an instrumental role in Rajasthan’s twin Ranji titles in 2010-11 & 2011-12, he also deserves the credit of shaping team Tamil Nadu, the last season’s white-ball champions.
He has been donning the mentor’s hat for many years and considers his father and former Maharashtra stalwart Hemant Kanitkar, who played two Tests for India in 1974, as the biggest influence on him.
“My father (batsman-keeper) has taught me a lot and over the years, I have learned by playing with and against legends like Tendulkar, Rahul, Steve Waugh, Shane Warne and many more. I wouldn’t call them mentors and in those days the concept of mentors wasn’t there. But my father would always be the biggest influence on me.”
Kanitkar feels Dravid has played an important role in showing him the way.
“The experience of working with Rahul was fabulous. I knew if I did my work, he would back me. He would help me if there was something I needed to correct. But he would never interfere otherwise. We had that freedom to coach and mentor as we thought was right.”
Kanitkar feels coaching the youngsters has its own positives and challenges. “These guys are looking to make a career and are open to suggestions. When you tell them to try out something, they have an open mind. Experienced players may shut themselves and wouldn’t want anybody cutting them. The main thing is to instill team spirit in youngsters. It is important for them to know that if the team does well, the individuals will get noticed. On the contrary, if the team doesn’t do well, individual brilliance may also go unnoticed,” he said. “The challenge is to step into their shoes every time you speak to them, not just about skills, but also about their insecurities, self-doubts and other psychological issues. It is a challenge but exciting when you help them out and they get pleasantly surprised with the assessment.”
Starting with his junior days, Kanitkar has dedicated almost three decades to Indian cricket. But he feels whatever he has done, can’t be termed as sacrifice.
“Nobody forced me into cricket. It was my choice to play, it doesn’t seem like a sacrifice to me. Following discipline, missing late night movies with friends and going on diet never seemed like sacrifice as we did it willingly. When you do it reluctantly, it looks like a sacrifice. But now that I have two sons at home, not seeing them grow is a bit painful,” said Kanitkar.
If his U-19 boys bring the Cup home, a personal regret could well turn into another professional high.
No matter how clichéd it may sound, the former India player – twice Ranji champion skipper with Rajasthan and a domestic coach with the ability to instill a different level of confidence into the team – is a firm believer in the process.
Pune-based former Maharashtra captain Kanitkar, who had been involved with the India Under-19s for the past few years as batting coach with Rahul Dravid at the helm, has now been appointed as head coach of the India squad for the U-19 World Cup to be held in Trinidad and Tobago from January 14.
“This is quite a talented team and is keen to do well. They want to win and play for India one day. They have their dreams and aspirations set high and working consistently towards reaching there,” Kanitkar, who played his only two Tests during the dreaded Test series Down Under in 1999-2000 told TOI in an interview. Being the batting coach of the U-19 team during the last World Cup and with his association with the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru, Kanitkar knew the top job would be just a matter of time.
“I was the batting coach when we played the last World Cup and since then I was at the NCA and was assigned to U-19 players. Because of the Covid situation, many activities didn’t take place but now I am back with the NCA as the head coach of the U-19s. With all this, there was a good possibility I would get the role. However, the best part is to help this group of cricketers find their way, as they haven’t played much of first-class cricket. You have a chance of making a positive impact. I find myself fortunate that I am getting this opportunity and if I can help them, they can go a long way,” Kanitkar, who also played 34 ODIs for India, said.
Kanitkar, 47, said, “As players, we put a lot of pressure on ourselves. Usually it is our own expectations that wear us down. The pressure comes with the thought of consequences. But if you take the result part out, you are left to focus on what you need to do. Rahul also strongly believes in this. If you play your best, you have done your everything.”
Kanitkar has been instrumental with his role as coach and mentor for various teams. Other than playing an instrumental role in Rajasthan’s twin Ranji titles in 2010-11 & 2011-12, he also deserves the credit of shaping team Tamil Nadu, the last season’s white-ball champions.
He has been donning the mentor’s hat for many years and considers his father and former Maharashtra stalwart Hemant Kanitkar, who played two Tests for India in 1974, as the biggest influence on him.
“My father (batsman-keeper) has taught me a lot and over the years, I have learned by playing with and against legends like Tendulkar, Rahul, Steve Waugh, Shane Warne and many more. I wouldn’t call them mentors and in those days the concept of mentors wasn’t there. But my father would always be the biggest influence on me.”
Kanitkar feels Dravid has played an important role in showing him the way.
“The experience of working with Rahul was fabulous. I knew if I did my work, he would back me. He would help me if there was something I needed to correct. But he would never interfere otherwise. We had that freedom to coach and mentor as we thought was right.”
Kanitkar feels coaching the youngsters has its own positives and challenges. “These guys are looking to make a career and are open to suggestions. When you tell them to try out something, they have an open mind. Experienced players may shut themselves and wouldn’t want anybody cutting them. The main thing is to instill team spirit in youngsters. It is important for them to know that if the team does well, the individuals will get noticed. On the contrary, if the team doesn’t do well, individual brilliance may also go unnoticed,” he said. “The challenge is to step into their shoes every time you speak to them, not just about skills, but also about their insecurities, self-doubts and other psychological issues. It is a challenge but exciting when you help them out and they get pleasantly surprised with the assessment.”
Starting with his junior days, Kanitkar has dedicated almost three decades to Indian cricket. But he feels whatever he has done, can’t be termed as sacrifice.
“Nobody forced me into cricket. It was my choice to play, it doesn’t seem like a sacrifice to me. Following discipline, missing late night movies with friends and going on diet never seemed like sacrifice as we did it willingly. When you do it reluctantly, it looks like a sacrifice. But now that I have two sons at home, not seeing them grow is a bit painful,” said Kanitkar.
If his U-19 boys bring the Cup home, a personal regret could well turn into another professional high.
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