Eighteen years before they formed the core of Indian cricket’s leadership unit, and orchestrated an incredible Test victory over Bangladesh in merely two days, Gautam Gambhir – the coach, and Rohit Sharma – the captain, were playing together for the India A team in the Top End Series, held in Australia, under the guidance of coach Robin Singh.
Sharma, then 19, was an emerging talent fighting for a spot in the senior team.
Gambhir, at 24, had just been dropped from the national squad following a dip in form.
The two achieved their goals eventually, but their paths crossed during that series when they forged an unbeaten 121-run partnership against Pakistan A. Rohit scored a valuable 47, but it was Gambhir who stole the show with a commanding, unbeaten 142.
Robin Singh might have two decades of experience in coaching now, but at the time, he was a novice. That, however, was not a deterrent to getting the measure of Gautam Gambhir’s leadership skills. He knew Gambhir was meant to marshall troops, as he is doing now.
‘Gautam Gambhir Has Always Been a Natural Leader’
On the sidelines of Legends League Cricket, wherein he is coaching the Manipal Tigers franchise, Singh reminisces how a 24-year-old Gambhir conducted himself.
Of course, I did not think so far ahead to predict Gautam (Gambhir) will coach the Indian cricket team one day. But having said that, Gautam has always been a natural leader. He is someone who has always been up for a fight.Robin Singh
Clarifying his words to avoid misinterpretation, Singh adds:
Now, when I say ‘fight’, some might say that I meant Gautam will get into physical altercations, but that is not the kind of fights I am talking about. Gautam was always ready to face challenges, whatever that might be.Robin Singh
‘Gautam Needs Fans’ Support’
Highlighting a particular quality which could make Gambhir a successful coach, Singh says:
Gautam has always been resilient as a player, and resilience is one of the key qualities you need to become a coach. He always wanted to win – Gautam never wanted to give up. He was consistent at it. That is what makes one a good coach – the ability to win consistently.Robin Singh
Gambhir’s coaching stint has already started promisingly. However, the real test lies ahead, with the prestigious Border-Gavaskar Trophy looming. Regardless of what lies ahead, Singh advises fans to remain patient with Gambhir.
I would request the fans to please give Gautam time. It is very easy to criticise someone from the outside, but we need to give him the time and space to deliver. He has a good team at his disposal, but the players will also need to get used to the new coach. There is always enormous pressure on the coach of the Indian team, so what we need to do now is stand by him.”Robin Singh
‘Rohit Sharma Commands Respect’
Singh has been a part of the Indian Premier League since its inception, coaching the Deccan Chargers team in 2008. It was not a season to remember for him, but it most certainly was for his student Sharma, who scored 404 runs.
Having joined Mumbai Indians in 2010, Singh was determined to unite with Sharma again.
The plan came to fruition in 2011.
I always wanted Rohit to join Mumbai Indians, because I knew he is a super special player. He is my favourite player. Rohit also is one of the only two cricketers I will happily go and watch any day, with the other being Virat Kohli.Robin Singh
For the star-studded squads Mumbai Indians have always assembled, their performances were underwhelming till 2013, when Sharma was made the captain. Since then, they have won five titles.
Speaking about what makes Sharma a successful leader, Singh says:
More than anything else, Rohit commanded respect. You cannot be a leader unless the dressing room respects you. Rohit had the edge over his contemporaries because of his performances, he had a strong voice, and he did not back out of challenges either. When Rohit was asked to be the captain of Mumbai Indians, he accepted the challenge and used the situation to his advantage.Robin Singh
‘Rohit and Gambhir Are Very Similar’
Comparing the leadership qualities of two of his students – Gambhir and Sharma – Singh adds:
As a captain, Rohit gives his players the freedom to play their natural game and deliver their best. He is also always hungry to win. I have not seen Gautam as a coach, but from what I have seen from his playing days, I can say that he is very similar to Rohit in terms of the hunger to win.Robin Singh
Reflecting on his rewarding stint with Mumbai Indians, he also elaborated on the factors which made the franchise an enormously successful one.
Mumbai Indians’ success is down to a combination of factors. The coaching staff and players understood the philosophy of the franchise and the brand of cricket we wanted to play, players were clear about their roles and executing them, and backups were readied for every role. All these things worked in tandem to bring success.Robin Singh
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‘Not the Time To Think About Post-Rohit Sharma Era’
Albeit he has retired from the shortest format, Sharma still leads the team in Test and ODI cricket with immaculate efficacy on more occasions than not.
Yet, considering he is now 37, a succession plan might be the demand of the hour.
Singh, though, believes the captaincy decision can wait.
At this stage, I don’t think we should put any extra burden of leadership on any player. They should be encouraged to perform freely for the country, we can decide on a possible leader later.Robin Singh
Despite India’s T20I captain, Suryakumar Yadav not being a regular feature in the other two formats, Singh prefers a one-captain-for-all-formats approach.
I prefer having one captain for every format, because honestly, I think it is very tough to play under different captains in different formats. If one of your captains is playing all three formats, then why not make him an all-format captain? Nowadays, some teams have different coaching setups for different formats as well, but that makes it very different for the players to vibe with every coach. It is like working under 10 different bosses on 10 different days.Robin Singh
‘Coaching Is All About Learning’
As for his ongoing stint with Manipal Tigers in Legends League Cricket, Singh is enjoying his time.
Legends League Cricket is a fantastic concept. It gives retired cricketers a second lease of life. This is my second season with Manipal Tigers, and I’m enjoying it.Robin Singh
Singh closes by emphasizing that coaching, like cricket, is a never-ending learning experience.
The most important aspect of coaching is learning. There’s no end to it. Whether I’m coaching in the IPL, in Bangladesh, or in the West Indies, there’s always something new to learn. The day you stop learning is the day you stagnate. Additionally, a coach must understand a team’s philosophy, define players' roles, and encourage them to play their natural game while sticking to the basics.Robin Singh
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