Split coaches is the way to go: Australia’s Darren Lehmann on managing workload in world cricket

The former Australia coach said it was important getting increasingly difficult to balance work and family life for coaches.

Former Australia coach Darren Lehmann reckons split-coaching is the way forward for Indian cricket and rest of the world.

Lehmann said dividing responsibilities format-wise should increase the longevity of the coaches. Talking alongside former England World Cup-winning coach Trevor Bayliss on BBC’s ‘Tuffers and Vaughan Show’, Lehmann said being away from the family for more than half a year is too much pressure on a coach.

“I think split coaches is the way to go in India as well as here. You just can’t be away for 200 days a year. It’s too much for the family and it’s too much pressure on a single coach,” Lehmann said.

“I think to get longevity out of your coaches you have to have split roles,” he added.

Earlier this month, former England skipper Nasser Hussain had expressed similar views while talking about Indian cricket. The 50-year-old Lehmann suggested dividing responsibilities on the basis of formats.

“It might be white ball or red-ball cricket. You have to see how that works. I see that evolving and maybe the stage they start talking to the players on the ground but that’ss probably way off,” Lehmann said.

Asked who amongst the current lot of players could become a good coach, Bayliss picked England’s white ball skipper Eoin Morgan while Lehmann selected compatriot and Sunrisers Hyderabad assistant coach Brad Haddin.

“Morgs [Morgan] s a deep thinker. He has certainly got the player’s respect and as a coach. And as a coach you definitely need that to get on,” Bayliss said.

“What he did for the white-ball team over the last five years has been outstanding . I’m sure if he wanted to go into that he’d make a pretty good,” he added.

“I’d go with Brad Haddin who has been gold. Trevor’s got him in the IPL. He loves the game and I think he’ll do very well,” Lehmann said.

Bayliss, who coached Sri Lanka before leading England to their maiden ODI World Cup last summer, said he would not coach an international team again.

“I was pretty much away from the family 12 months a year and that does take its toll after a while,” he said.

“I’ve had my turn and I hope someone else can be as lucky as I’ve been,” he added.