For five years, strength and conditioning coach Soham Desai was the behind-the-scenes man for several of India’s conquests. The man from Valsad talks to The Indian Express about the human touch behind the data and analytics of ensuring players stay optimally fit for important series, conditioning Jasprit Bumrah and the workings of different head coaches during his tenure.
What is the achievement you relish during your stint?
First, there was this natural and gradual relationship getting cultivated with the current crop of players (Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, etc) right from their India A tours, NCA days and the Indian team. It helped me understand them better as individuals, based on which I was able to formulate plans to groom them.
The goal was to make them independent, self aware and autonomous— self-sufficient to handle themselves as high performing athletes, knowing when to do what and identifying the red flags early. To start sleeping at 10.30, wear health bands, check recoveries, basically adopting elite high-performance athletes’ lifestyle and routine. Over four successive ICC tournaments since 2022, we had 100% player availability. We have to set plans 6-8 months, 9 months, at times 12 months in advance, so that they peak at the right time for the right games in the right venues.
How much pressure is it to handle someone like Bumrah?
I have been with him since 2014, when he was on RTP from his ACL injury, from his Gujarat Ranji Trophy days. He is special, a gifted guy who has worked immensely to become one of a kind. To manage guys like him we need a cohesive, collective and collaborative approach with a long-term vision driving the decisions, and ideally with great consistency in personnel around him.
The goal was to make them independent, self aware and autonomous— self-sufficient to handle themselves as high performing athletes, knowing when to do what and identifying the red flags early. To start sleeping at 10.30, wear health bands, check recoveries, basically adopting elite high-performance athletes’ lifestyle and routine. Over four successive ICC tournaments since 2022, we had 100% player availability. We have to set plans 6-8 months, 9 months, at times 12 months in advance, so that they peak at the right time for the right games in the right venues.
How much pressure is it to handle someone like Bumrah?
I have been with him since 2014, when he was on RTP from his ACL injury, from his Gujarat Ranji Trophy days. He is special, a gifted guy who has worked immensely to become one of a kind. To manage guys like him we need a cohesive, collective and collaborative approach with a long-term vision driving the decisions, and ideally with great consistency in personnel around him.
What were the approaches of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to fitness?
People assume Rohit doesn’t work hard on his fitness. Given his history, for him to lead at the highest level for four years with a game or two missed is significant. He cannot do that by fluke, right? He must be doing something right. Can he get better? Yes, 100%. He will be the first one to say that. But to assume that he doesn’t work hard is a bit much.
What should I say about Virat? It has been an honour to coach a student like him. A model athlete. He started out wanting to be the best, he got there through sheer will. He was aggressive, hungry and wanted to be number one. Both Rohit and Virat had the same team vision—to dominate world cricket —they approached it differently.
When was your knowledge tested the most professionally?
During the 2021 Test tour of England, we had three weeks of complete off and a 15-day prep camp in Durham. There was a clear directive from Ravi Shastri that he wanted all the fast bowlers ready to play all five Tests. During a conversation with Ravi bhai, I mentioned a different plan. Something on the lines of, “Ravi Bhai, baaki sab toh theek hai, but can we be smart with Mohammed Shami and Ishant Sharma?
For their maximum impact, we need to plan for 3/5 games, Umesh and Bumrah for 4/5 and Siraj going for 5/5.” This was just to have all guys operating at 100% for all games and to use them at venues where their skillset is more suited. We set out with this plan.
How different were Shastri and Dravid?
They are both different individuals, with different approaches but with eye on similar end goals—building a culture/team that dominates world cricket. Ravi bhai used to be precise, direct and clear in his requirements. Then it was on us to work with (Bharat) Arun sir and (R) Sridhar sir and get things done. But he will keep a close eye and notice everything.
Rahul bhai would sit down to understand things in detail. He will first lay out a plan, explain what we are trying to do as a team, this is how we are going to do it, this is where you come in, etc etc. Then it is on us to make plans that compliment the team’s plan and if there is a situation that may impact the team’s plan, we would communicate and he would always be receptive. Essentially, he was involved and had a bird’s eye view on the entire operation.
What exactly is the method for predicting or anticipating an injury or stopping them?
Predicting I am not too sure. It’s more hitting in the dark. Anticipating an injury is something reasonably possible if we have multiple data points correlating and pointing in the same direction. Fortunately I have seen most of these boys in their developmental years, except maybe Rohit, Virat or Jaddu.
So I have reference points around these guys. I know how a 100% fit Hardik (Pandya), Siraj, Gill, Axar or Bumrah would move and look like. I have seen them operate under fatigue, the problems they face when they come into a series/game having not done enough, etc etc. So, based on these, along with being fully involved, observant and being aware, you can infer if something is not looking ideal.