Vikram Solanki's journey to Surrey's hotseat

NICK FRIEND: Former England batsman Solanki replaces Michael di Venuto as head coach at The Kia Oval, where he will work alongside director of cricket Alec Stewart, who played a key role in his decision to move into coaching

Vikram Solanki’s coaching journey has taken him to the hotseat at Surrey, via a pathway that has included stints as an assistant in the Indian Premier League and Abu Dhabi T10, as well as to Michael di Venuto, his predecessor at The Kia Oval.

Speaking publicly for the first time since his appointment – a role that makes him the first British Asian head coach of a men’s first-class county team, he expressed his hope that cricket might become more representative of society as a whole.

“Is it a watershed moment?” he pondered. “There certainly is a great degree of movement throughout the world – not just in our sport, but in society in general – where there might be a shift, where people’s opinions are beginning to be heard. If that is the case, then great.

“Coming back to cricket specifically, I can only speak for my experiences. I think we have encouraged people from different backgrounds. I played with players from all backgrounds. I’ve coaches players from all backgrounds. I suppose I should temper that by saying I appreciate that might not be the experience for everyone else.

“But at Surrey, with the numerous programmes to encourage involvement of people from different backgrounds, I consider it as something that’s ongoing. If this accelerates all of those matters, then great. Do I think it’s necessary? I think society and all walks of life should reflect the sort of demographic that is present in England. If that can be the case in cricket, then that’s great.”

In 2019, only five out of 118 coaches or managers in men’s county cricket were British Asian, though Solanki added that he did not believe he had personally experienced prejudice during his own career.

“My view on that is that, throughout my career, it’s a question I’ve had to address whether it’s my involvement as a player or my transition into coaching and now in this position,” he said.

“So, I thought about this and I’ve read various comments. My view is this: racism in any walk of life is abhorrent. I genuinely do feel a sense of regret for anyone who has experienced that, whether it’s in cricket or any walk of life. I’m minded enough to realise that, perhaps is the case. I, however, can only speak of my own experiences.

“In my own experiences, I’ve been very lucky. At both clubs I’ve been involved with and in my time with England, I consider myself very fortunate having seen some of the things that have been spoken about. As a result, and I am only speaking of my experiences, it’s not been the case in my career.

“Does it bring added pressure? I don’t think so. The fact that I’m head coach of Surrey is sufficient pressure for the fact that it’ll be a matter of doing right by the team and being successful as a team. It’s neither here or there if I’m successful because of my background.”

^{Solanki replaces Michael di Venuto as head coach at Surrey}

Solanki, who represented England 54 times in ODI and T20I cricket, was appointed last week as replacement for di Venuto, who has been released early from his contract. That decision was made in light of the coronavirus pandemic; di Venuto is currently based in Australia and with his deal ending at the end of the current, delayed campaign, it was decided that the pair should part ways earlier than planned to allow him as much time as possible to pursue other coaching posts.

It means that Solanki, who has worked under di Venuto and with the club’s second team, will partner up with Alec Stewart, Surrey’s director of cricket. He was crucial in the former Worcestershire batsman making the decision to move into coaching in the first place, having announced his retirement from playing after spending the final years of his playing career at The Kia Oval.

Solanki had also acted as chairman of the Professional Cricketers’ Association and, briefly, as an acting chief executive – positions that at one point had made him think that his natural post-cricket calling might come in administration rather than coaching.

“Coaching really came about because of Alec Stewart,” Solanki explained. “He kindly spoke to me about remaining involved at the club, and initially spending some time in the second team.

“I fully understood actually the impact of a relatively senior figure or more experienced figure on younger lads. I saw value in what Alec was suggesting I do for a little while, spending a bit of time in the second team and working some time with those youngsters just to pass on my experience and see how I felt about being involved in that capacity.

“That actually opened my eyes to my desire to want to stay involved in a hands-on capacity with the game. Playing is wonderful, it’s perhaps the best part of any player’s involvement, but coaching comes very close indeed. And that opportunity and that experience – the six months that I did – made me understand that.

“That was what actually opened my eyes to perhaps this being the avenue I’d want to pursue. And I suppose I’ve got a lot to be grateful for as far as Surrey is concerned, but certainly from a personal point of view, to Alec Stewart for the opportunity.”

He points as well to Tom Moody, who made him captain during his time at New Road, and Graham Ford, who he played under at Surrey, as “two big influences” and men whose methods he has admired.

He mentions, too, Basil D’Oliveira, Duncan Fletcher, Gary Kirsten and di Venuto, all of whom he has been able to study at first-hand – either in a playing capacity or as a backroom colleague, whether with Worcestershire, Surrey, England or Royal Challengers Bangalore, where he was also able to watch Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers go about their business.

Of Fletcher, he recalled: “[It was] how analytical he was. How he was able to present a situation from a batting point of view; how he was able to be almost scientific about how he explained things.”

Solanki has been back to work in recent weeks, helping Surrey’s players in England’s 55-man training squad – since cut to 30 – to ready themselves for an unusual international summer. Ollie Pope, Sam Curran, Amar Virdi, Rory Burns and Ben Foakes are all on the club’s books, while Dominic Sibley – now ow Warwickshire – came through their youth system. Will Jacks, Jason Roy, Tom Curran and new signing Reece Topley were all also part of the initial longlist and may still be in the national side’s white-ball plans for the summer.

Solanki highlights the work of Gareth Townsend, the club’s academy director, and also the building blocks put in place even earlier in the development of young players as a reason for the county’s continued success in producing their own cricketers.

^{The former batsman represented England 54 times in white-ball cricket}

“The commitment towards developing Surrey players and offering them opportunity to play in the first team bodes well for producing England cricketers and gives them the opportunity to show how good they are and to grow,” he said.

“But a lot of that must come from even prior to the work [Townsend] does. It comes from the age-group coach and the commitment to good programme. Then there’s a transition to the academy, which is a fairly challenging environment, Gareth pushed those guys hard.

“I’m fairly of the view that if you see an example of your peers going through – like an Ollie Pope, who has gone through the whole system – then it’s likely that if you’re presented with a similar opportunity you’ll see the path ahead. It’s often the case that a crop of youngsters come through together because one comes through and achieves something special and the others think: ‘well, if he can, then I’ve every chance.’

“It’s not an automatic conveyor belt. There might be a period where only one or two go through. But, in terms of planning, you’ve got to see the pipeline is maintained.”

After spending his playing swansong at the club and having grown up as a coach alongside much of the county’s homegrown talent at second team level, his step-up to first team duties seems a natural leap.

“It is an honour,” he added. “I suppose the fact that I had an association with the club as a player and then had an association with the club as a coach and as part of the support staff has given me a broad experience as to what is involved with Surrey and the people that are involved, both from a playing and non-playing point of view.

“Essentially, the history of the club is present in everybody’s mind. There is no question about all of that. What makes it a particular honour is the people that I’m working with.

“I’m looking forward to getting started on Monday when cricket does return. I suppose historically speaking, there is no bigger club in England. But for me, the honour lies more in the fact that I am working with some brilliant people – both players and support staff.”

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