Being a head coach of an IPL franchise comes in with its own set of challenges. Alongside the glitz and glam, comes in a whole lot of responsibilities. There are components which should be put together in the first place to produce a masterclass and Andy Flower believes that his past as a cricketer has played a crucial role in shaping up his career as a coach.

Talking on the latest episode of RCB Bold Diaries, Andy Flower opened up on his key objective. He also shed some light on how his former role as a batter and a wicket-keeper for Zimbabwe has shaped him up in terms of valuable insights of the game. He elaborated further on the wicket-keeping aspect and how it hones an individual in the art of watching the game very closely.

Flower said, “As a head coach, an important part of the job is also to bring the group together. I think my past as a batter and a wicket-keeper really helped. I think as a wicket-keeper it’s a really privileged position to watch the game from. You pick up a lot from the angles of the game, the swing of the ball, the bounce of the ball, the pace of the pitch. You learn a lot about the game because you’re watching the ball carefully all the time.”

Underscoring the point of pressure, Flower added, “I think knowing what it feels like to be under pressure helps me empathize with the players. It’s not easy out there. They make it look easy sometimes but it’s not easy. And it’s really important for me as a coach to remember that.”