Pushing the boundaries to earn success
AS HIS playing days began to wind down, Rivash Gobind quickly shifted his attention to a career in coaching.
Just six years after he was appointed assistant to Lance Klusener at the Dolphins, Gobind, who is regarded as one of the most exciting young coaches in the business, has now landed a top leadership role of his own.
Last week he was appointed head coach of the Warriors after guiding the Port Elizabeth-based franchise to a share of the Momentum One-day
Cup title and a runners-up spot in the Sunfoil Series.
At just 35, Gobind is the youngest franchise coach in the country.
He stepped in as interim boss at the Eastern Cape franchise, following the departure of Malibongwe Maketa last year, and has since not looked back.
“I am very excited by the challenge,” Gobind said.
“I did not expect it to happen so soon in my career but I am very grateful for the opportunity.”
The former top-order batsman confirmed that he wanted to apply for the job when he took over as caretaker coach but did not allow it to play on his mind.
He said: “I had to go through the interview process and tried not to let that get in the way of coaching the team.”
He added it was difficult to predict what was next for him after leaving the Dolphins, along with Klusener, under a cloud in 2016.
“The goal was always to try and coach the Dolphins,” he explained. “Hopefully that happens in the future.
“I am still close to the franchise and the players. Right now my focus is on the Warriors. We have a great setup with a good foundation.”
Gobind, formerly of Effingham in Durban, says one of his key focuses in the job will be to continue building relationships with his players.
“The younger generation of players need to be managed differently to the way we were coached,” he says.
“Today everyone has an opinion and you have to manage that space. It is not about questioning authority, it is just the way of the world.”
The length of his contract has not been specified by Eastern Province Cricket yet, although he is most likely to receive a standard three-year deal.
With his wife, Kameshnee, and oneyear-old daughter, Kira, residing in Johannesburg, it means Gobind must continue to commute between the two cities to spend time with his family.
“We have decided that we will keep things the way they are and I will keep travelling up to see them,” he added. “My family has always supported my career and that means a lot to me.”
The Warriors are due to start preseason in July but Gobind says he will not be taking a break.
“It is a job which never stops,” he concluded.