Trisha Ghosal in Mumbai
There’s a certain rhythm to an international team’s practice session – chatter, feedback, the sound of bat on ball, followed by a quick word from a coach adjusting a grip or tweaking a stance. But when it comes to the Indian women’s team under Amol Muzumdar, there’s a striking absence of that interaction.
At the nets in Indore, where India held their first full training session ahead of their next matches, the pattern was impossible to miss. Bowling coach Avishkar Salvi was constantly on the move, walking up to each bowler, talking through lines, lengths, and field settings. Every few minutes, he’d pause for a one-on-one chat, hand gestures cutting the air, eyes locked with his bowlers. The energy was unmistakable.
A few nets away, Muzumdar stood quietly, arms folded, watching. Apart from the occasional long conversation with Smriti Mandhana, he barely interacted with the younger lot. Batters like Pratika Rawal, who looked a touch off that day and didn’t face too many deliveries, received no visible check-in from their head coach. Muzumdar saw it all but said nothing.
It’s not that silence in coaching is inherently bad. Some of the best minds in cricket have relied on quiet observation, speaking only when needed. But with a young side still learning to navigate pressure, that kind of detached presence can quickly turn into distance.
The same quietness reflects in his decision-making, too. From frequently shuffling the No. 3 spot, promoting Richa Ghosh one day and slotting in Harleen Deol the next, to persisting with just five bowling options even against powerhouses like Australia, Muzumdar’s choices have often felt reactive rather than proactive. The reluctance to back a consistent batting order, especially when Jemimah Rodrigues appears the natural fit at No. 3, only deepens that perception.
Even when captain Harmanpreet Kaur turned up alone for a session, Muzumdar stood by the nets watching, yet never walked over for a word. For a side craving a strong, communicative leadership structure, that silence feels telling.
There’s no questioning Muzumdar’s cricket brain or pedigree. But a national coach’s job goes beyond tactics – it’s about reading moods, lifting spirits, and bridging the gap between confidence and confusion. Right now, he seems more an observer than a conductor, more shadow than spark.
In a team filled with potential and personalities waiting to be moulded, that absence of conversation might just be the loudest statement about India’s current set-up.
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