Interview with Bengal’s new head coach Lakshmi Ratan Shukla

It is a Bengal cricket reunion of sorts. The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) on Tuesday (July 26) appointed Lakshmi Ratan Shukla as the head coach of the senior team for the upcoming season, ending months of speculation.

Former India opener WV Raman, who previously served as Bengal’s head coach in two stints, has been appointed as a batting consultant and will provide his services for a period of 50 days next year.

Shukla’s former colleagues Saurasish Lahiri, Shib Sankar Paul, Arindam Das and Sanjib Sanyal have also been entrusted with coaching duties in various age groups.

The appointments of Shukla and Raman mark the duo’s return to Bengal’s senior team after almost a decade. As a player, Shukla was an integral part of Raman’s team and led Bengal to many memorable victories during his illustrious domestic career.

Under Raman, Bengal won their last two titles – the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in 2011 and the Vijay Hazare Trophy in 2012, where Shukla was named the Player of the Tournament for his all-round performance (291 runs and 11 wickets). Since then, the state has gone trophyless, crumbling under pressure in knockout games time and time again.

That doesn’t mean Bengal is staring into the abyss. In fact, they are in the midst of a resurgence fueled by former India player Arun Lal, who led the team for the past three years before resigning last month, citing old age and fatigue.

Led by Abhimanyu Easwaran, the team has reached the final and semi-final in the last two editions of the Ranji Trophy. They have also lined up a deadly pace battery comprising Ishan Porel, Akash Deep and Mukesh Kumar that can rattle any team in the country.

Bengal’s batting, meanwhile, has looked vulnerable in critical situations, the latest example being their Ranji semi-final against Madhya Pradesh in June, where they were bundled out for 273 and 175 in the two innings respectively. Bengal lost the match by 174 runs.

Shukla knows that Bengal need to overcome their knockout woes if they are to end their 33-year Ranji Trophy drought. For the former Bengal captain, individual brilliance is a dime a dozen in his side. Now he wants the team to come together and imbibe a winning mentality that will depend on an attacking brand of cricket.

IN recent chat with SportskeedaShukla spoke on a wide range of topics including his coaching transition from the under-25 level to the senior team, his coaching philosophy, Sourav Ganguly’s influence on his life and more.

Known for his aggressive batting and useful medium pace, the former all-rounder represented India in three ODIs in 1999 and retired from all forms of professional cricket in 2015.

Shukla also served as West Bengal Minister of State for Youth Services and Sports between 2016 and 2021.

Here are the excerpts:

Q: You regret not winning the Ranji Trophy as a player, but now you are back in the same Bengal dressing room as a coach. Do you see your new role as a chance for redemption?

Shukla: I have never left Bengal cricket so there is no question of starting again. I always encourage our players, both male and female. Even when I was an MLA, I had lunch in the CAB canteen.

After retirement, I played for Salkia Friends for a few years to see what kind of talent Bengal’s second division clubs had. Whether I’m captain or head coach, I always feel proud when I wear the Bengals jersey.

Q: What are the takeaways from your stint as the Bengals’ under-25 coach?

Shukla: There is a huge difference between playing and coaching. As a coach you have to control things from the sidelines whereas Lakshmi Ratan Shukla has always gone out there and performed. Now I feel the life of the players is a bit easier as their performance is in their hands. Meanwhile, the coach is a passive observer.

You cannot afford to have a rigid mind. You should have backup plans. The captain must be flexible and make his own decisions. That’s what I did when I was leading Bengal.

I took a job as an under-25 coach because I wanted to see if I was ready to coach or not. I’m not one to treat the under-25s and the seniors any differently.

At the end of the day, we all represent Bengal, so it doesn’t matter if you are in the under-19, under-25 or senior team. I want to work very hard myself and make the boys work just as hard.

Q: Is there a coach you idolize?

Shukla: I don’t believe in role models, but I am an ardent follower To be done (Sourav Ganguly). He is the tidiest man I have ever seen. When I played under To be donethe captaincy, we never had long team meetings. All his instructions were simple and clear. I try to imbibe this philosophy in my training.

Q: What do you think hurts this Bengals team? Many pundits have started calling them ‘chokers’ due to their repeated failures in the knockout stages in all formats…

Shukla: The past is in the past. Let’s not concern ourselves with what some people say. We will be very busy with the things that are under our control. I’m not too concerned about our past results. We must be determined to write our own history.

Question: Bengal are struggling to find a good opening partner for Abhimanyu Easwaran. Planning to change the batting order?

Shukla: I hate change just for the sake of change. Whoever plays well will be an automatic selection. I don’t want to see names. I want to see performances that win matches. Your runs and loopholes will only be useful if the team wins.

There are still a few months left until the start of the new season. We will be taking part in the Global T20 tournament in Namibia in September and will play some pre-season games. Team selection will be based on performance in these matches.

Q: Which players from Bengal’s U-25 squad impressed you the most?

Shukla: Sudip Gharami has performed quite well in the Ranji Trophy. Ankit Mishra and Pradeepta Pramanik are also quite promising. We are also grooming some young all-rounders. We need more multi-purpose cricket games for the shorter formats.

Q: Why is there a dearth of quality spinners in Bengal’s first-class team?

Shukla: David and (Utpal Chatterjee) and Saurasish Lahiri are doing their best to find new spinners. If you want to make a mark at this level, you can’t always expect others to take care of you. You need to get a haircut. You need to increase your study hours and take your craft more seriously.

Q: This is a reunion of the 2001-2015 team as you, Shib Sankar Paul and Saurasish Lahiri are now part of Bengal’s coaching staff. Is it true that CAB are planning to give a coaching role to Ashok Dinda also?

Shukla: This is possible. Let’s see. Sanjeeb Sanyal and Don (Arindam Das) were also inducted into Bengal’s coaching staff. Don is the new under-16 coach and Sanjeeb will be with the under-19 team. It’s a good gathering (smiles).

Q: Manoj Tiwari was Bengal’s second highest run in the Ranji Trophy last season. He will soon turn 37 and is increasingly busy with his ministerial duties. Will he be in your plan for the upcoming season?

Shukla: Manoj is a great player and a role model for the younger generation. When you have a strong character like him in the team, you don’t need to look outside for inspiration. You can learn a lot just by sharing the locker room with him. All the young men on my team should respect and emulate his work ethic.

Question: Do you think there is no local representation in Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) already?

Shukla: As I said earlier, individual entries will no longer suffice. You have to play for the team and win. You have to help Bengal win Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

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When I, Manoj, Dinda and Wriddhiman [Saha] we were regulars in the IPL, we were all match winners in domestic cricket. You will find a lot of players who can score runs but we need more winning games from Bengal. All my players are good. I expect them to win us more games next season.

Q: What did Sourav Ganguly tell you after you took the job?

Shukla: I speak with To be done quite often. He wanted me to take over the leadership of the team. I hope I can continue the same way I played before.