Samuel Jayaraj, Pradyot Singh, and Mohd. Shahrukh Pathan Khan

The first coaches have a crucial role to play at every step of the player’s overall development and growth. Especially, during the formative years, coaches' mentorship helps the youngsters to learn the skills and inculcate the ability to keep improving with each experience the game has to offer.

Such is the story of the three first coaches, Samuel Jayaraj, Pradyot Singh, and Mohd. Shahrukh Khan, who have trained players, going on to bring laurels to the country.

Jayaraj sir has coached Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) skipper KL Rahul since he was aged 10. Rahul met Jayaraj for the first time at Nehru Maidan for the Mangalore Sports Club. As per the coach, healthy competition against other batters propelled Rahul to build innings and convert his starts into big knocks since his U-15 days.

Looking at his performances and love for the game, coach Jayaraj even convinced Rahul’s father Dr. KN Lokesh to let the keeper-batter choose commerce after excelling in the 10th grade. It was crucial, as Rahul’s father wanted him to take up engineering, but sacrificed for his son’s career.

According to Jayaraj sir, KL Rahul repaid their faith by churning out runs consistently in every tournament.

"Every match, he performed. He never came back without scoring, be it in inter-zonal cricket, a probables tournament, or for the state. He never disappointed his parents,” Jayaraj sir was quoted as saying by Sportstar.

Samuel Jayaraj specifically focused on building Rahul’s basics, as it would help him climb the ladder gradually against tougher competition. The back-foot game, keeping track of the footwork, and watching the ball until the last minute were a few basic mantras given by Jayaraj sir, which laid the foundation for KL Rahul.

During his U-19 days, Jayaraj sir decided to move KL Rahul to Bengaluru, to help him develop his game under the training of Sanath Kumar, who also coached the Karnataka Ranji team. Although Rahul has changed his coaches since then, he still is in constant talks regarding his technique and flaws with Jayaraj sir and goes to meet him at Mangalore as well.

In an interview with Rediff in 2014, Jayaraj praised Rahul, saying:

"The best part about him is that he has a lot of patience. If the bowler has the upper hand he will allow him to do his thing and later on capitalize on it. He will read what field he has set, where he is bowling; he will analyze it all. He is a very smart and thinking cricketer.”

So far, KL Rahul has scored around 7,800 runs across all formats in international cricket with 17 centuries. On the IPL front, Rahul has slammed over 5,000 runs in 140 appearances at a prolific average of 45.27, with four fifties to his name.

The 34-year-old has been leading the Lucknow-based franchise since 2022 and helped them seal the playoffs in the last two seasons. They are looking strong to achieve qualification in this season as well and would look to go a few steps further to lift the title.

The key individuals, who were behind Ravi Bishnoi’s rise in international cricket and IPL are his first coaches Pradyot Singh and Mohd. Shahrukh Pathan Khan, who also runs the Spartans Cricket Academy.

In fact, both coaches held a job, but thought of opening a cricket academy, out of love for the game. They left their job and managed to build the academy in six months while working like laborers and often eating only one samosa per day. Pradyot and Shahrukh worked hard to bring sponsors for their players and help the players, who came from poor families, in building their careers.

They spotted Bishnoi, while he was playing age-group cricket. The leg-spinner helped them set up the academy and also relied on the mason's work due to the money crunch.

After being rejected once at the U16 level and once at the U19 level by the selectors, Pradyot and Shahrukh approached their contacts to request a closer look at Bishnoi’s strengths and then take a final call. Certainly, they provided support and guidance to the spinner, which kept him focused on reaching his goal.

With all his hard work, determination, and desire to perform consistently, Bishnoi emerged as the leading wicket-taker in the 2020 U19 World Cup with 17 scalps.

In an interview with Times of India in 2020, Bishnoi recalled his story of becoming a spinner, saying:

"I am short in height and I am also quite lean. I wanted to become a medium pacer. But due to my weight and height, I struggled initially. I was at the nets and was dejected. Shahrukh bhaiya and Pradyot bhaiya came and asked me to try bowling spin. I bowled a couple of deliveries and trust me I really bowled well. They said, from now on, you will be bowling spin. It took time and I faced difficulties, but that's how I became a spinner.”

In December 2023, Ravi Bishnoi became the No.1 T20I bowler in the world, after picking up nine wickets in a five-game series against Australia. The wily spinner is also the highest wicket-taker for LSG in IPL history, with 36 scalps in 40 appearances.

In a profession as shortlived as cricket, you have to start well to finish well. Thus, every cricketer says #ThankYouFirstCoach.