A few innings from his playing days could serve as examples for a PowerPoint presentation on patience: 168* off 543 balls over 13 hours and 16 minutes, and 96* off 410 balls in nine hours and 51 minutes (with a strike rate of 23). Today, however, he oversees an Indian team boasting a collective strike rate of 165.38, the highest among any top seven in a T20 World Cup, highlighted by Sanju Samson’s incredible strike rate of 199.37.
The contrast is bewildering yet impressive; his transformation into a batting coach is noteworthy. It’s akin to a Hindustani classical music instructor teaching Pop-Rap or Hip-Hop. Sitanshu Kotak has evolved into a contemporary batting expert, particularly in the fast-paced arena of T20 cricket.
“When I began coaching, I learned from many seasoned professionals that you must shed your identity as a cricketer. If I coach based on my own experiences, I might steer players toward shots that came easily to me. The essence of coaching lies in helping players become the best version of themselves,” Kotak shared in an interview with Cricbuzz.
The Indian team recently scored nearly 1000 runs in four matches, achieving a strike rate of over 12 runs per over (12.40). This approach was both daring and strategic. “Our strategy was to attack from the first ball. Even if we lost a couple of wickets, we wouldn’t slow down. Instead, we would play lower-risk shots for the next six to eight balls while maintaining pressure,” he explained.
Kotak discussed the rise of Sanju Samson, who, after missing four of the first five games, made a significant impact in the last four matches. “Initially, we had three left-handers at the top, but we realized we couldn’t be stubborn after losing early wickets,” he noted. “It forced us to utilize Sanju and adjust our batting order strategically.”
Addressing Abhishek Sharma’s form, Kotak mentioned, “He was trying to hit the ball too hard, which isn’t his strength. Players like Shivam and Hardik can muscle it, but Abhishek thrives on timing.” They made tactical adjustments to improve his game and discussed how bowlers targeted specific areas.
Kotak emphasized a batting philosophy focused on minimizing early wickets. “If we can avoid losing more than two wickets in the Powerplay, we aim for over 10 runs per over right from the start,” he stated. He acknowledged the importance of the players’ mental approach to maintaining momentum even after losing wickets.
