'Why should I do what you are asking me to?' - R Sridhar's interesting revelation with Ravichandran Ashwin in his autobiography

R Sridhar is known for his stint as the fielding coach of team India from 2014 to 2021 and it is well documented that the Indian players were known for their fielding skills during his tenure. The former fielding coach revealed many incidents in his autobiography 'Coaching Beyond - My Days with the Indian Cricket Team’. 

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Sridhar revealed an exciting conversation with star Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin as he explained what made him change his method of training post that exchange. To add more, the 52-year-old said in his book that the veteran spinner questioned him about fielding efforts and why the latter must obey his words.

The former fielding coach of team India said the spinner asked him about his techniques and what benefit it would provide him if the next coach came in a few years' time. Sridhar revealed that Ashwin was curious if the methods would help him improve his game on the field, rather than just doing it for the sake of doing it. 

We knew each other quite well by then: R Sridhar

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The Indian team were brimming with confidence on the field when Sridhar was roped in as the fielding coach of team India. It was during his initial days, the Virat Kohli-Ravi Shastri era began, bringing in the concept of fitness and the ‘Yo-Yo’ test, which set the bar for the players who dream to play for the team India. 

“Being with Ashwin, I was struck by one of our early conversations in my first week with the national team. Non-confrontationally, he asked me, 'If you don't mind, Sridhar sir, why should I listen to you and follow the fielding drills you suggest? Why should I do what you are asking me to? From 2011 to 2014, we had Trevor Penney as the fielding coach. Now you have come in, you will be there for let's say two to three years,” Sridhar wrote in his autobiography. 

“You will say something; you will go away. Then a new fielding coach will come. If I am honest, in the next three years, I have a lot at stake. I should be convinced that what you are saying is going to work for me. It should help my game, otherwise why should I listen to you?’ We knew each other quite well by then, and I immediately got where he was coming from. His questions set me thinking: how much should I coach? What is coaching really?” he added.