Former cricketer Yograj Singh said that the Indian team management should have had a word with Virat Kohli and asked the batting stalwart to not use his cover drive, which led to his downfall in the just-concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy, in which India suffered a 1-3 defeat against Australia for the first time in 10 years.

Kohli began the marquee series with a second innings hundred (100*) at Perth, but he managed to amass only 90 runs in his other eight innings combined.

The age-old problem of fishing outside the off stump haunted Kohli right through the tour, with Australian quick Scott Boland, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc exposing his weakness.

Speaking on what an international level cricketer needs from the coaches, Yograj mentioned that the players need someone who has the man-management skills to improve their game, rather than the typical coaching.

“The role of a coach becomes a significant question when you are playing for India. When you’re an exceptional player representing India, you might not necessarily need coaching in the traditional sense. What you truly need is someone for man management. Sometimes, a player’s mind gets blocked; they might not be scoring runs, or they keep getting out. No matter how great a player is, they can’t be bigger than the game itself," Yograj told IANS.

According to Yograj, the players of Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s calibre need people to point out their technical flaws and then guide them accordingly.

“Such players need someone to guide them, to say, ‘Let’s go to the nets and work on this’. For example, Virat Kohli got out many times playing his favourite shot – the right-hand push. That shot works on Indian pitches, in England, and elsewhere. But on certain pitches where the ball bounces and carries more, someone should have told him, ‘Virat, don’t play this shot’. Just play straight or leave this ball," Yograj remarked.

“This illustrates the difference between coaching and management. Identifying and pointing out a player’s technical fault is coaching. Someone needs to recognise and convey these technical issues to the players. But who will tell Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli? Even they want someone to come and tell them what’s going wrong," he added.

Yograj highlighted the importance of having a proper management to handle the situation where a player is down on morale.

“I believe what’s needed is proper management – someone who understands when a player’s mind is blocked, when they’re feeling low, and reassures them, saying, ‘Don’t worry, we’re here for you. You’ll do it because you’re a great player.’ Every player faces a downfall, even the greatest ones. It’s part of the game," he stated.

Sharing his thoughts on India head coach Gautam Gambhir, Yograj said: “Gambhir is a brilliant cricketer with a brilliant mind. He has the ability to guide the team forward. However, where there’s a mistake, he points it out – and rightly so. But to hold the younger players together, proper management is essential."

“Someone needs to tell them, ‘Virat, it’s no big deal; it happens to everyone’. ‘Rohit, don’t worry, these phases come and go’. ‘Bumrah, you’re doing great; just stay focused’. The younger players, especially fast bowlers like Siraj, need to be guided and supported. Someone should stand with them, show them the way, and help them understand the nuances of the game," he added.

“When players are down, struggling to perform, management becomes that magic wand that lifts them up," he concluded.