New Delhi, Sep 10 (IANS) Former India batting coach Vikram Rathour believes the influx of Indian expertise will significantly elevate the profile of the European T20 Premier League (ETPL), while adding that developing local European talent around the year will be vital for the league’s long-term sustainability.

Rathour is currently serving as the head coach of Dublin Guardians, co-owned by former India captain and head coach Rahul Dravid, in the inaugural edition of the ETPL, where the Ravichandran Ashwin-led side is in fifth spot after getting their first win of the competition.

“It will definitely help because India has been the powerhouse of cricket, or let’s say T20 cricket as well, with IPL being managed in India. So, it is great to have people from India coming to these parts of the world and sharing their experiences and what they have learned from working in the IPL or other leagues. So, that is a great thing,” Rathour told IANS during a select virtual interaction organised by the tournament on Thursday.

Both Dravid and Rathour worked closely during their tenure with the Indian team as head coach and batting coach respectively. Speaking about the shared philosophy within the franchise, Rathour stated that the objective extends beyond short-term match outcomes.

“About Rahul, of course, the good thing is that he has been on this side for long enough to understand how this game goes. So, it is great to have him as a co-owner of the team I have to deal with. So, I don’t think I need to explain anything to him, because he basically knows how this game goes.

“We haven’t had a great start as far as the results were concerned in this league. But again, having Rahul there has been really good. He has supported the team. The vision for him, for me, or for the franchise is to develop cricket and cricketers in Europe, especially in Ireland, and that is a long-term vision.

“So, results are definitely important, but the vision is bigger than the results, and that is how we are looking at it. So far, I think we have been extremely happy with the team we have picked and the local talent we have been able to bring on.

“So, we can retain them and keep working with them like Rahul wants to, and that is the vision, I think. That it needs to be not only for one month, but throughout the year, there needs to be some kind of continuity and some kind of connection with all these players where we can support them to practice and get better.”

That thinking has got the thumbs-up from Rathour, who’s also the lead assistant coach of the IPL 2008 winners, Rajasthan Royals. “That vision works for me as well as a coach, because that is one thing I want to do, that I want to coach basically. I want to improve as a coach.

“So far, it has been really good again. The atmosphere in the team and the whole group has been really, really good, even though we didn’t win. So, yesterday was our first win and first one on the board – let’s see how it goes from here.”

Rathour noted that Dravid has been exceptionally supportive despite the Guardians enduring a tough start to their campaign. Dravid’s approach, full of empathy, stems from his deep understanding of team dynamics gained through his previous coaching roles, while having a cricket nut in captain-cum-mentor Ashwin has been fantastic, given his vast knowledge of global players and conditions.

Analysing Europe’s potential as the next big frontier for franchise cricket, Rathour asserted that leagues which rely on strong local participation have a far higher chance of survival compared to those composed entirely of overseas players.

“It can be potentially, yes. I agree with that because there’s a lot of excitement in the local community. See, I always believe that for any league to work, it’s your domestic talent that drives that league. We can already see it in ETPL – that, like in our team itself, we have six guys from Ireland and two from other European nations – one from Scotland, one from the Netherlands.

“So, this kind of mix really helps because that’s the local talent which is driving the team. There are some leagues being played in the world where everybody is from outside, actually. So, it’s harder for those kinds of leagues to survive, I feel. That’s my personal opinion.

“But for a European league to survive and do well, I think they have better chances because, as I said earlier, there are a lot of local players who are playing, and ultimately they will be the ones who will be driving this league forward. If we can keep working with them throughout the year and make sure they develop as players, you will see a lot of these guys playing in different leagues and, hopefully, in the IPL as well in the times to come.

“So, that makes it unique because it’s again a great venue. It’s a great place in the world to be in. So, if this league carries on and does well, I think a lot of players will want to come for this experience from all over the world,” he concluded.

–IANS

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