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Striving for all-round development

Irfan’s emphasis isn’t always on bat and ball, but on health, nutrition and diet as well.

Not one to sit atop the pile of accumulated glory, Irfan hands the success to the players - “I would rather give credit to the players as, if it were up to me, all the 1,500 students from my academy would have made it big. It’s only the specials ones, those that have sacrificed and worked hard, that have come up.”

“Irfan sir”, as the students call him, has himself learnt through experiences over the years. The coaching certifications notwithstanding, his stints as the coach of the Karnataka women’s team and at his academy, have provided him with perspectives aplenty. “All experiences combined, I derived that the first thing that any coach should make sure is that the cricketer is enjoying. They should be happy doing what they’re doing”, opines Irfan.

“The sweetest sound to a sportsperson is their own name”, he says. And so, at the academy, every cricketer’s name is on their T-shirts and coaches make a constant effort to put a smile on their faces. “We address them by name and are able to give them feedback because we know them personally. Every time there is little encouragement or praise, they come back stronger. They come back for this happiness”.

And it’s not always bat and ball. Instead, Irfan aspires for the all-round development of his wards. Discipline is at the forefront and latecomers are turned away. There is a emphasis on health, diet, nutrition and values as well. “Most often, we have sessions for the parents more than the cricketers. We tell them the value of nutrition and how to counter obesity. Kids are told the value of hydration. And when somebody does well, we tell them that you’ve done well because of all these good things. So they understand the value”, says Irfan.

The students recognize this as well. Ankith Udupa has played U-14, U-16 and U-19 for Karnataka and vouches for his “Irfan sir”, calling him the most hard-working coach around. And having just returned from his Karnataka stint at the recent Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tourney, Mohammad Taha says he has grown to become a better batsman under the watchful eyes of his coach.

“I am very happy that my passion and profession are the same”

Having produced not just international players but Ranji Trophy and junior state cricketers as well, Irfan is today a contented man. He also has 13 cricket clubs functioning under the KIOC banner across Bangalore and Mysore. This way, the students aren’t restricted to just net practice alone. Instead, they get an opportunity to play club cricket and stake their claim for state selection.

When asked if he would call his establishments as cricketing business ventures, Irfan says, “I hate to call it a business, but I would definitely like to call it my profession as I am passionate about it. And I tell everybody that this could become anybody’s profession”.

Looking back on his journey, he calls coaching an immensely satisfying and challenging profession. “I am very happy that my passion and profession are the same. So whenever I am working, I am not exactly working – I am enjoying”, says Irfan, despite maintaining a seven day work week and a daily 6am to 9.30pm schedule.

And it’s a journey that continues to meander along the ups and downs that the sport throws in its path. Despite the years of travails, the zealous twinkle in Irfan’s eye is hard to miss. “Every little good thing thrills me and every little thing that goes wrong gets me worked up because something that I love is not happening the way I want it. So I work extra hard”.

With humility firmly in place, Irfan recognises all those that contributed – his staff, friends, family, well-wishers and his childhood heroes GR Vishwanath and EAS Prasanna, who continue to be a constant source of encouragement.

“I must thank the game and all the cricketers that made this worthwhile for me”, he says. And as the next batch of kids walk into the academy, Irfan ushers them in and chugs along - doing what he knows best and loves the most.