Paras Mhambrey, former bowling coach of the Indian cricket team, recently reflected on his journey with the squad, particularly the thrilling T20 World Cup win that ended India’s 11-year drought for an ICC title. After three years away from home, Mhambrey finally returned and found some time for his family to share insights from his coaching experience working with Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma.
Paras Mhambrey Reflections on T20 World Cup Victory
When reflecting on the T20 World Cup victory, Mhambrey described it as a once-in-a-lifetime experience. He further pointed out the challenges post-victory, which included weather delays and the overwhelming reception upon their return to India. Winning was not only for the team but also a matter of national pride.
Mhambrey, however, attributed this to attention to detail and change in strategy after some past disappointments. After every heartbreak at previous editions of the ICC tournaments, the side, now led by Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma, worked on some key aspects. This time, they put all their energies into being consistent and making minor tactical adjustments. It seemed that it worked out just right for them to win the ICC trophy.
Speaking on those nervy final overs, Mhambrey admitted that even he got a bit nervous when South Africa were 30-0 at 30 balls with six wickets in hand. He reiterated that it was the experienced head of Rohit Sharma and the stupendous bowling of Jasprit Bumrah that ensured India crossed the finish line to keep them alive.
Mhambrey praised Jasprit Bumrah, saying he was a once-in-a-generation talent and a natural leader. He emphasized Bumrah being able to stay consistent in all formats and be very effective in all the crucial junctures of the match, saying it all came because of his exceptional skill and unflinching confidence in himself.
Mhambrey’s Perspective on the Future of Indian Bowling
Mhambrey, speaking on the future of Indian bowling, expressed his positivity toward emerging youth like Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj. Going elaborative, he addressed the house toward the swinging ability of the ball with Arshdeep and said that Siraj has shown great improvement in white-ball cricket, so all are likely to contribute to the team in the longest version, Test cricket.
Mhambrey made it clear that there has to be a development of bench strengths in fast bowling. Some promising prospects such as Prasidh Krishna, Mohsin Khan, and Mayank Yadav bring in different skills and may potentially ensure diversity in the bowling attack from India across different conditions.
Talking about his coaching journey with Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma, he felt that Dravid was very humble, did most of his work behind the scenes, and termed Rohit Sharma’s close involvement in team activities as incredible, resulting in a shared vision and the amount of trust built among the players themselves.
Looking forward, Mhambrey spoke of a desire to spend some quality time with family after long years of cricket commitments. He expressed that there were promising future avenues, such as a role in the IPL or some other cricketing environments, and took time to thank the enriching experiences and relationships developed during his coaching tenure with Team India.
To sum it up, Mhambrey’s thoughts give an insight into the strategic and personal dynamics that worked toward India’s victory in the T20 World Cup. His insights on player development, tactical changes, and leadership on the part of Dravid and Sharma underscore the team effort that lay at the back of India’s rise on the cricketing stage globally. And he looked on into new chapters; so much so, that his impact on Indian cricket remained indelible once and for all.
