In a recent interview with ‘SportifyWithPRG’, India’s chief selector Ajit Agarkar shed light on the importance of team culture and the methods for establishing it within a team environment. Agarkar drew upon his experiences playing for both Mumbai and the Indian national team to illustrate his point.
The former Indian pacer, who played across 221 international games for the Men in Blue, shared dressing rooms with a host of all-time greats. Making in domestic debut in the 1996/97 season, Agarkar was part of the golden generation of Mumbai cricket, a star-studded team that featured the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Vinod Kambli, Amol Muzumdar, among many others.
“Look at all the great teams,” Agarkar said. “I can maybe talk about our Mumbai team. What really helped me was the senior guys in our team was showing us the way. We had players like Amol Muzumdar, Sanjay Manjrekar, who was the captain at that point, and Vinod Kambli, these guys set the standard in the dressing room.“
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The Mumbai Cricket Team has undoubtedly been the most dominant side in the Indian domestic circuit. They have made it to 48 finals in total and have won a mind-boggling 42 of those.
“Fortunate enough to play with some real greats,” Agarkar on his playing days with the Indian team
Even Agarkar became an integral part of the Indian team, Agarkar had the backing of the likes of Anil Kumble, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and Tendulkar. The 2000s era unquestionably produced a team of Indian cricketers that will forever be remembered as legends.
“Even when I played for India, I was fortunate enough to play with some real greats of the game such as Sachin Tendulkar or Rahul Dravid or Anil Kumble, Virender Sehwag was there. Sourav Ganguly was the captain. VVS Laxman. Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan. Those are all Indian greats, all-time greats of the game.“
Agarkar’s message also emphasized the crucial role senior players play in cultivating a winning team culture. He opined, “When these guys are around the standard sets itself, then it’s for the players to buy into it. If your players all work in the same direction, then a coach or captain can drive and show the way.“
Building a strong team culture is essential for any team’s long-term achievement, and Agarkar’s insights offer valuable guidance for fostering such an environment. By following the examples he outlined, teams can learn from senior players other, create a space where players can develop their talents, and push each other to become better.
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