After successfully building the Delhi squad into one of the strongest in the Indian domestic circuit,Vijay Dahiya has been appointed the assistant coach of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and the former India wicket-keeper is keen to play his role in the re-construction of the troubled franchise. I am happy to have been appointed as the assistant coach, the 36-year-old told Sportline. My job will be to work under the guidelines set by the head coach and the management, he said. Dahiya,who made his international debut under Sourav Ganguly,believes that KKR will see better times with Indias most successful captain taking over the reigns. The last time I met Sourav was almost nine years back. It is amazing to see that he still has the same intensity in him, Dahiya said about meeting the KKR team during their practice in the Capital. The Indian team was at the re-building stage when I played with Sourav as my captain,now I shall be working with him once again when KKR is at the same juncture. Although unsure of who he will have to assist,Dahiya is certain that team-work is most important at this stage in the club. We will know who the coach is in about two weeks,but the important thing is that we should work as one cohesive unit. I,for my part will make sure that everything I do is in accordance with the coach,Sourav and our consultant Wasim Akram, he said,adding,Things will be a whole lot different from the John Buchanan days. During his playing days,Dahiya found it hard cement his place in the national team,crouching behind the stumps in 2 Test matches and 19 one day internationals. But soon after his retirement,Dahiya has made his mark as a coach,winning the Ranji Trophy with Delhi in the 2007-08 season. My experience with Delhi will surely help me with KKR. At this level it is not so much about correcting techniques and teaching cricketers to play the game, he said. It is more about man-management and inter-personal skills. They are international players and know their roles well. I have a decent amount of experience in dealing with international players as so many of the Delhi players I have coached are now in the Indian team, he added. Well into his third year as coach of Delhi,Dahiya will be teaming up with Delhi and India fast bowler Ishant Sharma,who made his debut into the Indian team during Dahiyas reign. Working with Ishant in KKR will be great because I have seen him climb through the ranks in the domestic scene. The past experience with him will help, he said. Though Dahiya retired from the international scene before the advent of T20 cricket,he has played the shortest format of the game for his club side Air India in the Capital. I am not completely in the blue as I have played the format for my club side. We as coaches have to be as fast paced as the format itself, Dahiya said. KKR had some troubles in the past,but fortunes in this form of the game can change as fast as the format itself, he added.
