So what’s made you so special to this Indian team ? Is it because of skills, man-management or strategy. They say cricketers need not necessarily be good coaches, but you have proved it otherwise to this Indian team ?

I have looked at coaching in a holistic manner which means that I don’t look at components of what a coach should do. The technical aspect at international level is probably ten percent of the work. Man-management is the most important thing. At the end of the day what matters is the options that can be provided to a cricketer to cross the ropes in the best way he can. You need to tell the player that how he should play is not necessarily the right thing to do, because at the end of the day he needs to take on the responsibility when he crosses the ropes. For me it’s really understanding the individuals, getting the best out of them, working with them with their own techniques, not to change them and helping them to enhance their skills that’s most appropriate for that player.

The one thing that stands out for me with this team is the way we created an environment for the team to be happy and feel and work as a team. We set out this three years ago with the help of Paddy Upton. This team felt they were not representing as individuals, but as team India. Sachin has been a leader in this environment. He’s a player who is so revered in this country. He stood up and said that “the greatest achievements that we have had and are going to have, is going to be because we love playing for team India, not for ourselves.’’