West Indies all-rounder Justin Greaves credited the Royals Academy and the Rajasthan Royals’ Head of International Player Development Siddhartha Lahiri for helping him improve his technique against spin bowling.
Greaves scored an unbeaten half-century in the second innings of the recently concluded two-Test series against India, showcasing immense maturity and confidence against India’s formidable spin trio of Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar.
Walking in with the West Indies at 293/5 and leading by just 23 runs after being forced to follow on, the 31-year-old all-rounder produced a resolute 50 not out off 85 balls.
His composed innings – only his second fifty-plus score in Test cricket – anchored a dogged 83-run last-wicket stand with Jayden Seales, pushing the West Indies’ lead beyond 100 and setting India a target of 121.
After the match, Greaves reflected on the technical work that went into improving his game against spin, crediting his time with Siddhartha Lahiri at the Barbados Royals for playing a key role.
“I had a lot of chats with a few guys from the Royals Academy. When I played for the Barbados Royals, the coach (Siddhartha Lahiri) there always talked about playing spin off the back foot,” Greaves said
“So for me, I practised it a lot even though I like to play off the front foot. You know I just enjoy batting and enjoy the conditions in India,” he added.
Greaves also finished the series as his team’s third-highest scorer behind Sai Hope and John Campbell. He was the Windies’ top scorer in the first innings of the first Test in Ahmedabad with a combative 32.
Siddhartha Lahiri was appointed as the Head of International Player Development by the Royals Sports Group in February.
Lahiri’s role is aimed at enhancing the franchise’s academy network, working round the year with facilities in Jaipur, Surrey, Pune and New Jersey. His role also encompasses coaching responsibilities within the Royals’ overseas franchises.
The Royals Academy is a formal coaching and development program with multiple global centres, offering training, masterclasses and access to high performance facilities.
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