LUCKNOW, May 26 -- No one had an idea about any link between Persatuan Cricket Indonesia (PCI) and Kanpur's Vikas Yadav when the annual general meeting of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) took place in Indonesia in January 2024 in the presence of the then BCCI secretary Jay Shah, but within a year the relationship between the two became quite strong. First, the PCI searched Yadav's credentials, a sports officer with the Harcourt Butler Technical University in Kanpur, from a lot of 15 guys, and then tasked him with the job of teaching the finer points of the game to their men and women teams at Bali this March. It wasn't a surprise opportunity for Yadav, a former coach of Uttar Pradesh's junior teams, as he was ready and took it as a challenge as Indonesia aim for a berth in the next year's World Cup qualifying through the South East Asia Championship in December. Yadav, 49, excelled as per the PCI, and now has been asked to do the training of the Indonesia side for 60 days next month. "I was confident about this offer as I had faith in my plans for the coaching. It took at least fourth months to finalise everything. I took the short-term contract as I am unable to do training throughout the year as I have my commitments here also," said Vikas Yadav on Sunday after getting his fresh contract of coaching in Indonesia. Yadav, who has done his doctorate in philosophy of sports and physical education from Lucknow University and Level 1 and 2 coaching training from BCCI, said his mission is to help Indonesia qualify for the next year's World Cup. "Both men and women teams have been doing well, learning the game fast and have graduated to another level. They would be playing in the South East Asia qualifying events this December," Yadav said. He also said even now he is feeding every individual of the teams with important tips online. "I watch everyone's videos every day and give them tips on what to do and what not? That's my routine even now as I don't want anyone to lose their track," he added. In Indonesia, Yadav is being assisted by an Australian Andy Cotton, a Level 3 coach, and S Parera of Sri Lanka as they are permanent coaches to the Indonesian cricket. "When I went there, PCI bosses told me to head the coaching set up and both Cotton and Parera are good coaches and are taking good care of cricketers there," he said . Yadav's stint so far has also been appreciated by the PCI bosses. "PCI extends its heartfelt appreciation and deepest gratitude for your exceptional contribution to the High-Performance Training Camp conducted in Bali. Your involvement was a milestone in our national cricket development program and a great source of inspiration to both our men's and women's national teams," PCI chairman Abhiram Singh Yadav wrote in a letter to him. Certainly, Vikas Yadav's stint with Indonesian teams brought immense value, combining advanced technical insight with genuine mentorship that deeply enriched the entire camp experience. He managed sessions related to high-performance planning, biomechanics, and injury prevention to mental resilience, physical conditioning and tactical strategy. "Your sessions were not only insightful but also highly practical and engaging. The clarity, precision and passion with which you delivered each session significantly elevated the standards of our training environment. More importantly, your ability to recognise individual potential while fostering a cohesive team culture showcased your excellence not only as a coach and academic but as a leader and motivator," said Abhiram Singh. "The athletes under your guidance gained renewed confidence, and our coaching staff benefitted greatly from your structured methodologies and collaborative approach," Singh added....