The seminar, moderated by Ravindran Shankaran, the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the Bihar State Sports Authority, also addressed the question of why Indian coaches are often from Europe. Dr. Tayyab responded by acknowledging that there is no shortage of talent among coaches in India and Asia, but emphasized the need to identify and provide them with the necessary financial and infrastructural support.

Shankaran also highlighted the ‘Mashaal’ competition, the world’s largest sports talent search currently underway in Bihar. Dr. Tayyab commented on the need to change the mindset, behavior, and sports philosophy from the top level down to cultivate talent. The state government is committed to the holistic development of sports and athletes. The government is providing jobs to medal-winning athletes, along with rewards and financial assistance. Additionally, the government supports young players through the ‘Prerna Yojana’ under the sports scholarship scheme, providing up to Rs. 3 lakh for purchasing kits, as well as covering expenses for better nutrition and training. Several local children are serving as ball boys and ball girls during the ongoing Hero Asia Cup. Many prominent international players started their careers as ball boys, and the event hopes to encourage the next generation.

Pritam Rani, a former player of the Indian women’s team, emphasized the need to work at the grassroots level to develop hockey, encouraging young players to achieve their goals through hard work and dedication, even with limited resources. Bhola Nath Singh, the Secretary-General of Hockey India, noted that this type of conclave is a first for any international tournament. He advised players to play with their intelligence, effort, and a genuine commitment to hard work.

The Hero Asia Cup 2025 is being held in Bihar for the first time, at the Rajgir Sports Complex from August 29 to September 7. The seminar was organized on a Friday, a non-match day, to facilitate discussions and insights.

Dravid had been the head coach of Rajasthan Royals since the previous year. He took on the role after leading the Indian team in the T20 World Cup 2024. However, he resigned after just one season. Rajasthan Royals’ statement indicated that they had offered him a larger, more expansive role, but the former Indian coach declined, choosing instead to leave the team.

Currently, Dravid is unattached to any team. The question remains whether this will persist before the new season begins. Dravid has a strong record as a coach, and although his IPL record isn’t exceptional, he has experience coaching Delhi and Rajasthan. Consequently, a team in the IPL seeking a coach could potentially sign him. One such team is the former champion, Kolkata Knight Riders.

After a disappointing 2025 season, Kolkata, who won the IPL title in 2024, decided to remove their head coach, Chandrakant Pandit. The franchise has not yet appointed a new coach. Therefore, it wouldn’t be surprising if Shah Rukh Khan’s team brought in Dravid. Besides KKR and Rajasthan, no other franchise currently has a vacant head coach position. The coming weeks could be crucial in this regard.

Following this, Karthik jokingly asked Flower, ‘Why don’t people see a smile on your face when you’re in the dugout as a coach?’ Flower responded with a laugh, saying, ‘People completely misunderstand me, and you know that very well.’ Karthik replied, ‘I certainly know.’ The video of this humorous incident is now going viral on social media.

Gautam Gambhir, known for his serious and sometimes intense personality, played a crucial role in India’s 2-2 draw in this series. This series against England was challenging for India, especially when the team was trailing 1-2. But Gambhir’s strategy and the enthusiasm of the young players led to a stunning comeback in the final Test, ending the series in a tie. During this time, Gambhir’s coaching style was praised, but his serious image sparked a different kind of discussion among fans.

This ‘Pathshala’, run by DSP Vikas Chandra Srivastava of the Jharkhand Police, is now being hailed as an officer-making factory. The students of Vikas Chandra Srivastava have written a new success story in this examination. With 140 candidates succeeding, four of them made it to the top 10. The toppers include First Topper Ashish Akshat, Second Topper Abhay Kujur, 5th Topper Shweta, and 8th Topper Sandeep Prakash, along with a total of 140 candidates who aced the JPSC exam.

Kirsten acknowledged that he quickly realized he wouldn’t be able to have the desired impact. Despite initial optimism, it became evident that his role wouldn’t provide the necessary autonomy or support to effect significant changes in Pakistan’s white-ball structure.

His resignation followed that of Jason Gillespie, the then Pakistan Test team head coach. Gillespie, who had overseen Pakistan’s historic ODI series victory in Australia, also left due to similar frustrations within the system.

Kirsten, who also served as the batting coach for the Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League (IPL), has not ruled out a return to Pakistan cricket. He expressed his willingness to take on a coaching role again if the conditions allowed him to perform his duties effectively and without undue interference.

Despite his short stint, Kirsten’s reputation as a highly respected figure in coaching remains intact. His experience highlights the ongoing issues within the management and organization of the Pakistan team.

“It was a tumultuous few months. I realised quite quickly I wasn’t going to have much of an influence. Once I was taken off selection and asked to take a team and not be able to shape the team, it became very difficult as a coach then to have any sort of positive influence on the group,” Kirsten stated on the Wisden Podcast.

“If I got invited back to Pakistan tomorrow, I would go, but I would want to go for the players, and I would want to go under the right circumstances. Cricket teams need to be run by cricket people. When that’s not happening and when there’s a lot of noise from the outside that’s very influential noise, it’s very difficult for leaders within the team to walk a journey that you feel like you need to walk in order to take this team to where it needs to go.”

“I’m too old now to be dealing with other agendas; I just want to coach a cricket team and work with the players – I love the Pakistan players; they’re great guys. I had a very short period of time with them, and I feel for them. More than any other team in the world, they feel the pressure of performance massively; when they lose, it’s hectic for them, and they feel that.”

“But they’re professional cricketers, and I’m a professional cricket coach. When we get into that environment, there are generally certain things you do to help a team be the best that they can be, and when there’s no interference, you go down the road, and if it’s a talented group of guys, you’re generally going to have success,” he concluded.