Mid-Day Masterclass with Pravin Amre - Mind over batter!

Ex-India batsman Pravin Amre, who scored a Test debut ton in 1992 before becoming a prominent domestic coach, stresses on the importance of mental fortitude apart from skills in a brand new season of mid-day Masterclass

Pravin Amre and batting. They’ve been pals for quite some time now. It all started at Ramakant Achrekar’s Shivaji Park nets in the late 1970s and they are now enjoying the challenge of the Indian Premier League, where Amre features as assistant coach of Delhi Capitals. 

In between, there were five seasons for Mumbai as coach; three of them Ranji Trophy-winning ones. Then came personalised coaching which players like Ajinkya Rahane, Suresh Raina, Dinesh Karthik and Robin Uthappa profited from. 

More recently, Amre was given the responsibility of tightening up the game of young India opener Prithvi Shaw. mid-day decided to use the Amre-batting alliance by inviting the batsman, who carved a Test debut against South Africa at Durban in 1992, to an online Masterclass session.

Wacth video: Mid-Day Masterclass with Pravin Amre

Edited excerpts from the conversation:

What’s your coaching philosophy?
My journey started at the Shivaji Park Gymkhana [SPG] Academy in 2000. It was a great initiative by SPG and it enabled me to work with Mumbai’s best talent. We would give opportunities to genuinely talented boys. That’s where I learnt how important it is to deal with the basics of a player, especially if he’s a batsman. My philosophy is simple: It’s important to take a player to the next level. If the boy is under 15, get him to U-19 standards, from U-19 to first-class, then India ‘A’ and then IPL or Team India. It’s a journey to take them to the next level. Yes, the game is all about skills, but it’s also about the mental aspect.

In this age of T20 cricket, how do you control a batsman’s temptation to go for a lofted shot?
The coaches have to get over that temptation of saying no to the boys. In our era, coaches would remove us from the nets if we lofted the ball. But now, we have to be open. If the player has the ability to hit the ball consistently, then why not? This generation is like that, the T20 format is like that. As a team, you are going to face 120 balls. As a batsman, you are going to play no more than 30 to 40 balls. So, that’s how you are going to score. In this [T20] format, you know how the pressure builds when you play two to three dot balls. So, if you release the pressure by hitting boundaries and sixes and if that boy has the ability, I think coaches should be open to that. But hitting blindly is not going to help. Whether you play T20 cricket or the longer version, I think consistency is important. Your performance should take you to the next level. And after reaching there, to stay there too, you need consistency.

Pravin Amre demonstrates a shot to Robin Uthappa during a training session with the now-defunct Pune Warriors. Pics/mid-day archives

What are the changes you reckon a batsman should adapt to in the three different formats?
The basics are the same irrespective of the format. It’s about adjusting to one-day, T20 or day cricket. The only thing [that is different] is the mindset. Knowing how to adapt to that format is the key and so many players are able to play all three formats. There are some who specialise in one format, so it’s important for players to identify their strengths.

Tell us about Ramakant Achrekar’s influence on your coaching methods?
Whatever I have learnt is from my guru [Achrekar]. Those teachings helped me when I became a coach, often thinking about what Sir would have done in a particular situation. I went to Achrekar Sir when I was just 10 or 11. There was a time when I felt I would not play for India, but my coach motivated me. That’s so important! A coach not only teaches you but also motivates and inspires you. This puts you at ease.

What did you notice in Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill’s dismissals in the first innings of the WTC final? Was it a mental thing or a lapse in concentration?
Basically, you are never really set in England due to the atmosphere and conditions. The ones who know where their off stump is, are generally successful. However, it’s not that easy to know where your off stump is. In a split second, you have to make a decision. New Zealand knew how to bowl in those conditions, because they were similar to their [home] conditions. Building concentration is so important, which means realising that one mistake can cost you your wicket and that’s exactly what happened. I don’t think it is anything technical, but decision-making has to be spot on. Getting a 50-run start was so important and both of them did that well.

How does a player be at ease the night before an innings?
Every individual is different. Handling that moment is also different. Some like to listen to music. In our playing days, we used to carry a Walkman with headphones and listen to our favourite music. Sometimes, you talk to your family or watch a movie. Some like to hang out with friends, so it’s up to the individual what makes him or her comfortable.

A virtual mid-day Masterclass session with Pravin Amre in progress last Sunday

Who is tougher to handle, Ajinkya Rahane or Prithvi Shaw?
When players trust you, it becomes easy. One common thing with both of them is that they trust me and understand my role. Every series is challenging, that’s what is working for Ajinkya. With Prithvi, everyone knows he is such a talented boy. So, handling every player is different. Luckily, I was good enough to handle other players like Robin [Uthappa], Suresh [Raina] and Dinesh [Karthik]—all different personalities, so as a coach, you have to adjust to their personality. Sometimes they like it if you are polite, sometimes you have to be hard. I have to understand what language will suit and adjust accordingly.

How tough is it for players to understand the different philosophies of coaches as they are guided by several of them at different age levels?
For any player, it’s like a school. When you go to nursery you have a different teacher. In high school, you have other teachers. You will have different teachers as you progress. It’s the same in cricket. Every coach’s role is important. Nobody is bigger or smaller, because the bottom line of coaching—and that’s my philosophy—is about taking it to the next level. It’s important that the coach knows a particular boy very well, how he behaves and handles his emotions.

Amre on Indian openers in WTC final

How Gavaskar inspired Amre

Imagine your idol landing up at the railway station to wish your team good luck for an important match. That’s what happened when Sunil Gavaskar surprised rookie Amre and his Mumbai teammates who were heading to Bangalore by train for their February 14-17, 1987 Ranji Trophy quarter-final against Karnataka.

Gavaskar was in the middle of the India v Pakistan series then.

Amre, who made his first-class debut in that game at the age of 18, recalled: “It was such a surprise to see him in the bogie. I couldn’t have asked for anything better than to meet my role model. 

“He also gave me a piece of advice—‘just go, enjoy your cricket, I am following your cricket’. Those words always inspired me to go to the next level. It was such an emotional moment.”

Amre Answers
‘Hit the nets after every failure’

Pranav Kela
Former Mumbai U-16 and U-23 batsman

How can one adapt to different match situations, conditions and different batting positions?
If we talk about T20 cricket, there are 120 balls and as a batsman you are probably not going to get more than 30 to 40 balls to face. A player has to understand his game, what suits him—start slowly and then take charge—or just dominate and get on top of the bowling. It is all about finding a way to be successful in that situation. It’s not difficult if you practise that, but mental toughness plays a huge role. If you play two to three dot balls, the pressure builds. Being in the present helps a lot. It shouldn’t matter what the previous ball has done. However, it’s easy to talk, but very difficult to execute. It comes with practise. You need to practise situations; play a couple of dot balls and then still believe you will win the match for your team. You can be a match-winner but for that, you should have many shots in your armoury. You should also know how to play a good short ball, you should know how to play on turning pitches. So there are many things in the mix to become an accomplished batsman and that is real hard work. In T20 cricket, you should have a range of shots, which can help you deliver from any situation. You have to work on your skills and on the mental side because there is a lot of pressure to deal with.

Mahi Thakkar
Mumbai U-19 cricketer

How did you deal with failures in your playing days?
For any cricketer, there are more days when you experience failure. To be honest, I learnt more from my failures. We used to travel in local trains to play in Thane and after all that traveling, you used to end up with a zero. When you come back home, your parents ask how you fared in the game and telling them you got a zero was the worst part. I used to hit the nets after every failure, to learn where I went wrong. A very important thing I learnt from my coach: If you make a mistake, accept it, learn from it and never repeat it. Yes, you will get out, but what you learn from that is important and what should be done to ensure you don’t make the same mistake. If you want to be successful, you should not repeat your mistakes.

Who was your role model?
I always loved and admired Sunil Gavaskar sir, simply because he played without a helmet against the world’s best fast bowlers and he was the first to score 10,000 Test runs. I remember as a 10-year-old kid, I used to wear a t-shirt with his image on it and roam around the school [Shardashram Vidyamandir]. So, he was our role model and we adored his batting technique. All greats have one thing in common and that is concentration. Today’s generation of players should watch his videos. 

Pranav Dhanawade
World’s only batter to score 1,009 runs in an innings

How should one concentrate while batting in the 80s and 90s? What should be the mindset?
It’s not only you who gets out in the 70s and 80s. Out of 10, eight or nine players get out but only one batsman converts it into a century. Around 60,000 thoughts come to your mind and to control that is not easy. The trick is to be in the present. According to me, your mind has a tendency to be in the past or future and your intellect holds you in the present, which is concentration. What happens in 70s and 80s? Many players straightaway think about getting a hundred. Your mind goes into the future and that’s where the problem lies. Playing that particular ball on its merit will help you stay in the present. So, next time you go out there, don’t think you are on 80, try to think I am facing that one ball, which I don’t want to get out on; I want to score off this ball. If that ball is there to be hit, hit it. Your mindset has to be simple: If the ball is in my zone, I will hit. It’s difficult to execute, but it comes with practise.

During lockdown, how should one keep oneself mentally fit?
A fit body will lead to a fit mind. For that, you should practise yoga. Now, there are online training tools. Those can also help you take care of your body. You can also do visualisation. This year’s IPL was a challenge. Players were away from the game for five months and then they straightaway had to go and play such a big tournament. But they worked on their fitness. Your journey becomes easier, so work on your fitness. Yoga can be very helpful, not only in cricket, but in your day-to-day life too. Every youngster should utilise this time and work with trainers.

Jahnavi Jawale
Bowling all-rounder

What is the best piece of advice you got that you remember every day?
The best piece of advice I got from Achrekar sir was that it’s important to be a student of the game whether you are a player or coach. If you think you know everything, you don’t do your best. Once you are a student of the game, you do your best and can handle any situation.

What should one eat while on tour and playing games every day?
Nowadays, there are doctors and dieticians to guide you with that. But you should control what you eat. You should feel light when you play, that’s the bottom line and you should be careful about not suffering from food poisoning.

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