Former Indian team Strength and Conditioning Coach Soham Desai has said that the assumption that Rohit Sharma doesn’t work hard on his fitness is misguided, and also applauded Virat Kohli’s drive to be a model athlete.
“People assume Rohit doesn’t work hard on his fitness. Given his history, for him to lead at the highest level for four years with a game or two missed is significant. He cannot do that by fluke, right? He must be doing something right. Can he get better? Yes, 100%. He will be the first one to say that. But to assume that he doesn’t work hard is a bit much,” Desai told The Indian Express in an interview when asked the approaches of the former India Test captain to fitness.
“What should I say about Virat? It has been an honour to coach a student like him. A model athlete. He started out wanting to be the best, he got there through sheer will. He was aggressive, hungry and wanted to be number one. Both Rohit and Virat had the same team vision—to dominate world cricket —they approached it differently.”
Desai also had the opportunity to work with two different head coaches in his time with the Indian team – Ravi Shastri and Rahul Dravid. “Ravi bhai used to be precise, direct and clear in his requirements. Then it was on us to work with (Bharat) Arun sir and (R) Sridhar sir and get things done. But he will notice everything. Rahul bhai will first lay out a plan, explain what we are trying to do as a team, this is how we are going to do it, this is where you come in, etc etc. Then it is on us to make plans that complement the team’s plan and if there is a situation that may impact the team’s plan, we would communicate and he would always be receptive. He had a bird’s eye view on the entire operation,” Desai explained the differences between the two former Indian captains who were in
Desai announced on Instagram on May 31 that he was moving on from his role with the Indian team. One of the cricketers to post a farewell note to Desai was Mohammed Siraj, who wrote: “I wouldn’t be where I am today without your belief and relentless support. You helped me rise from tough times, never letting me give up. The sessions were hard, the grind was real, but you always made us feel like we were capable of more and you were right. You were like an elder brother on this journey, and your absence will be felt deeply in the dressing room, in the gym, and in every sprint we run.”
Speaking about working with Siraj, who had at tough start to the year after being left out of the Champions Trophy squad, Desai said: “Whether they are prepping for an ongoing series or they are in the loop to be featured in the upcoming one, they need to be on a plan to be fully ready. Siraj had a tough start to the year. He was devastated and unmotivated. In these moments, the relationship built over the years comes into play. We are able to have those honest/tough conversations and move forward with intent. A proper nine-week plan was laid out. It covered the one-off Ranji game, a break from training and bowling, then gradually built up to IPL whilst also being ready as standby for Champions Trophy.”
