Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], May 20 (ANI): With the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) sealing their berth in the playoffs of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, RCB fielding coach Richard Halsall believed fielding, while often overlooked, is the difference between winning and losing in modern cricket.

Halsall, known as 'Stick' within the RCB camp, said, as quoted by the RCB press release, 'Fielding is the area of the game that probably gets talked about the least. But in T20 cricket now, there are very few hiding places. You are trying to shorten that moment of fear or panic when the ball's coming at you and be able to execute your skill. That ability comes only through focused training.'

Speaking on how fielding has evolved over the years, he said, 'The biggest impact has been the rise in physicality. You do not get outstanding fielders without it. Players now take pride in wanting to affect games. They copy phenomenal athletes from other sports, and they want to make an impact.'

That mindset is what he has tried to build throughout his career, both through creative methods and with intent. He said, 'I'm not sure if I was the first one to use a bowling machine for fielding drills, but I saw it in hockey, where they used it to replicate the power needed for goalkeepers. In cricket, we had people throwing at 80 miles an hour and nicking balls at slip. That was great, but how many people have that skill? The machine could do it consistently. That gave me the freedom to demonstrate more effectively and more realistically.'

It is this attention to detail and creativity that has earned him the trust of players and coaches alike. Mo Bobat, RCB's Director of Cricket, said Halsall brings both reliability and challenge to the set-up. He said, 'He's quite an important ally for Andy (Flower). They've worked together across the globe. One of Andy's strengths is that he wants people around him who will add to his thinking, not just say yes. Richard does that really well.'

More than the drills or the machines, Halsall's real strength lies in how much he cares about the people he coaches. Bobat said, 'He really cares, like a good teacher cares about their students. And players pick up on that. He's creative, unconventional, and prepared to challenge convention.'

His own journey into coaching has been anything but typical. Born in Zimbabwe, Halsall was a decent cricketer and later became a teacher, before an offer to study at Cambridge changed his course. A trip home for his brother's wedding led to a chance meeting with Andy Flower and an invitation to join a Zimbabwe training session.

Among the best fielders he has worked with, Halsall names Andrew Flintoff and Paul Collingwood, and from India, players like Virat Kohli, Manish Pandey and Mayank Agarwal. He said, 'They all have different strengths, but there's a joy to their fielding. That's what I look for.'

When asked to name the one fielder who changed the way he saw the game, Halsall opined, 'Viv Richards. Just his presence on a cricket field that was something else. Watching him in a World Cup final, running Australians out, that was sensational.'

His coaching philosophy is built on adaptability and support. He added, 'If you need someone to throw, I can throw. If you need someone to help with bowling or analysis, I can do that. Maybe not as well as 'Malo', DK or Andy, but I can empathise and help them improve. That's my strength.' (ANI)