There is no rocket science: Nehra offers insight into coaching mentality; backs Gill to take GT forward

With his calm demeanour, Nehra pulled the strings behind the scenes and lifted the Titans to the trophy in their maiden season in the cash-rich league in 2022. He continued with his role at the helm in the next season and laid the blueprint for GT to go all the way to the final to defend its title, but eventually falling short against Chennai Super Kings.

If it weren't for Ravindra Jadeja flaunting his boundary-hitting muscle and smoking the ball away for 10 runs in the last two balls, Nehra and GT would have had two IPL titles in their first two seasons.

With Nehra into his fourth year as GT head coach, Nehra allows his players to be themselves. In a fast-paced and long-format tournament, Nehra believes the key to success lies in offering players the much-needed stability.

"For me, I don't see things only from a coach's perspective. Even if I put myself in the shoes of a player in such an environment--the hectic IPL, a long yet fast-paced tournament--the first thing players need is stability. That's how I feel. My approach is to just let them be; nobody is judging them here. First, they need to settle down, especially when they join a new franchise," he said on JioHotstar's exclusive show 'Aava De.'

"The nature of the sport is such that you retain four to five players, and in the auction, you might get one or two key additions. So, after every three years, 40-50 per cent of the squad is new. That means you have to put in extra effort to build the team again, just like the situation we are in now. There's no bio-bubble anymore. If there was one, it would have been easier," he added.

With a new batch of players joining the franchise after every auction, Nehra has the challenge of spending time and establishing chemistry with them within a limited period of time. He tends to keep things simple, do the basics right and ensure players have clarity on and off the field.

"The challenge is--how do you spend time and build chemistry with new players in just a week? It's about clarity--on the field and off the field. Just the basic things. I don't think there's any rocket science to it. I always say, keep it simple. It's a very straightforward task--but maybe keeping it simple isn't always that simple," he added.

As GT headed into its third season, Nehra stayed with GT while Hardik Pandya returned to the Mumbai Indians, leaving the franchise without a captain. GT decided to invest in Gill as the new face to lead the franchise. In his maiden season, GT finished out of the top four, settling for the eighth spot with 12 points, the third least among all sides.

In the ongoing season, Nehra believes that if Gill manages to keep himself grounded and evolve according to the game's requirements, then the sky is the limit for the young opener.

"From all the conversations I've had with Shubman Gill over the past year, I believe a person learns best from their own experiences. So, this year, things will only get better and better. Again, for me, it's not just about results. I'm looking at Shubman Gill as a person, as a captain, and as someone who will take this team forward. If a player like Shubman, who has been part of the same team for three to four years, stays grounded, keeps learning from the game, and continues to grow--which is in his nature--then the sky is the limit for him. This is what I believe," he said.

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