Cricket Coaching Can't Be Like Football, Says Riyan Parag: 'Too Many Variables'
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One would never have thought that the coaching strategies in cricket and football would be identical, given the very different philosophies in both sports. Riyan Parag, a 24-year-old cricketer who will soon be seen representing the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL), recently shared his view on whether cricket coaching can be similar to football.
Parag, who attended the Premier League 2025-26 match between Manchester City and West Ham United, believes that the fundamentals of the two sports are truly different. He thinks that the backroom staff can't be as hands-on as in football due to 'so many variables' in cricket.
While data has started to have a significant impact on the game, Parag feels that it has not reached the stage where coaches can be as involved as in football. He likes the sport the way it is now, and the makeup of the game allows for coaches to have a say, albeit before the start of a match.
'I like it the way it is. Data, of course, now plays a bigger part than it did five years ago. So that is something we're getting really advanced on. As far as cricket is concerned, we analyse a lot of data to develop strategies and plans for different batters and bowlers,' Parag said.
Parag also spoke about his experience of watching a live Premier League game and the passion of the fans. He said that it was an 'incredible experience' and that the energy in the stadium was 'unbelievable.'
