Coaching a team amid expectations of limited success presents a significant hurdle, as building a competitive mindset may prove difficult when results remain elusive. The pressure to foster resilience and determination in players could clash with the reality of underperformance, forcing leadership to balance morale with on-field expectations. With multiple obstacles ahead, the focus will likely shift toward instilling confidence and discipline even as the team grapples with a tough stretch. How the coaching staff navigates this tension will be critical in shaping the season’s trajectory.

Trying to establish a winning culture during a season when victories may be hard to come by could be perhaps the biggest of several challenges facing Malhotra, ...