Dishant Yagnik and the effortlessness of embracing the Royals culture

Dishant Yagnik, the batsman in question, was still numb, for he couldn’t believe he hit the mighty Dale Steyn for two consecutive boundaries in the last over to consign Deccan Chargers yet another loss in what turned out to be a forgettable season for them. The crazy scene that unfolded, with Botha jumping on Yagnik, remained to be one of the best moments for the Royals in the IPL history. And for the Rajasthan veteran, who was playing his first match of the season, it was the apogee of his career. 

Despite being a keeper all his life, who did his job with perfection and utmost dedication, Yagnik knew that he was more than just that. Subsequently, it turned out to be a matter of being at the right place at the right time as the Royals picked him up once again, this time as their fielding coach, after their return to the fold in the 2018 edition.

Yagnik’s story itself provided a sneak-peek to the Rajasthan Royals philosophy, with the Indian youngsters having a strong voice in the league. Be it a certain Sanju Samson or Ankit Sharma, or more recently, the likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Kartik Tyagi, the Royals have always backed the youngsters to come good, and that culture allowed the coaching staff to have a more open-end discussion with the players, irrespective of their age and experience. That knowledge, which Yagnik garnered in his first four years with the team, has come good for him, with players like Samson and Ben Stokes speaking highly of him.

“It may look difficult from the outside as players from foreign countries and many Indian stars come together but if you all have set one target and one goal of winning the IPL or qualifying for the playoffs then it is not that difficult. At first, we introduce our team culture in the team meeting and once when a player gets comfortable in the team environment and gets the sense that he belongs here then there is smooth sailing for the team.”

Often an unassuming character but with a solid presence in the Rajasthan Royals’ dressing room, Yagnik was entrusted with the responsibility of mentoring Samson, when the Kerala wicket-keeper joined the franchise fresh in 2013. He soon handed over the gloves, with the former’s last appearance coming in 2014, but he vividly remembers the growth of a cricketer many thought would go on to fill the colossal shoes of MS Dhoni. That hasn’t happened yet but Yagnik is still hopeful that it would pay off one day, for he saw the spark much earlier.

No Royals story can have a definitive ending without a Rahul Dravid tale and I was eager to tap into Dishant’s head to share his Dravid memories, for he must have a lot. And it didn’t turn out to be a hagiography - rather, an honest comprehension of what the former India and Royals skipper meant to youngsters, with his modesty and accessibility making things easier for every junior player in the side.

“When I saw Rahul Bhai for the first time, I was starstruck and I didn’t know what to say. But instead, he came forward and talked to us by calling us by our names and that showed how humble a person he was. He was ready to dissect our game and put in hours for improving it and giving valuable feedback. One more great quality of Rahul Bhai was he knew exactly when to use which player,” Dishant revealed. 

This might seem like an overstatement, but the passion with which Dishant spoke about Rajasthan Royals symbolises how invested he is in the process of managing the franchise. It has been almost a decade now since the love affair has started but none has been lost in the process. The ongoing Coronavirus outbreak might have delayed the IPL, but the Junoon with which he is waiting for it, you would be surprised if he sleeps peacefully without a summer of IPL now. His life would have been a lot different in a parallel universe.