All the sporting activities have come to a standstill in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic, which has claimed more than 380,000 lives globally so far.
It has been nearly three months since any form of domestic or international cricket was last played and there is no certainty on the game’s resumption yet.
In an exclusive interview with TOI, Indian batting coach Vikram Rathour pointed out the challenges cricketers are facing amid the COVID-19-induced break and how they can keep themselves in the groove.
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“The last few months have been unprecedented. None of us has gone through the kind of situation that we are facing now. The challenge was, or still is, to keep the players motivated and do the best they can to be ready for when the cricket starts. When you are playing international cricket, you are on the move all the time. Travelling and playing matches day-in-day-out. This break has given me an opportunity to have one-on-one conversations with the players,” Rathour said.
“As there was no possibility of playing cricket, the best thing to do was to do self-analysis and self-reflection. Identifying the areas of your game that you want to improve in, and also how you want to work towards it. Reflecting on the kind of cricket you've played last year. Things that you have done well and also things that you did not do well. The players were advised to do shadow practice and do lots of visualisation,” he added.
It has been said that the batsmen will take more time to find their touch as compared to the bowlers. But Rathour doesn’t agree with this theory.
“I don't think so. It will be equally challenging for both - batsmen and the bowlers - to get back to their peak form after a long break like this. The good thing is that most of the players have been managing to train well during the lockdown. Their fitness routines are being monitored closely by the trainers and physios. So, we are hoping that whenever the outdoor sessions start, it will be a matter of a few weeks of practice and then they should be ready to start playing some practice/domestic matches and then on to international cricket,” he stated.
The ICC Cricket Committee recently recommended a ban on the traditional practice of using saliva to maintain the shine of the ball to avoid potential on-field viral spread.
Notably, the Anil Kumle-led committee did not allow the use of artificial substances as a substitute move.
Sharing his two cents on the same, Rathour said: “If you are not allowed to put anything on the ball to shine, then yes, it could be an advantage for the batters. But if you can use your sweat, or if the ICC allows some artificial stuff to shine the ball, then the difference would not be too big. As long as it is going to be the same for all the teams, it should be fine.”
There are also talks of matches being held behind closed doors in the post COVID-19 world.
Asked if he is open to the idea of India playing in empty stadiums, the batting coach replied: “The priority will be for cricket to start. If at that time there are still no vaccinations available, then whatever precautions are required, we will have to take. If that means having to play in empty stadiums, so be it. It is not ideal but I'm sure that the players will manage it.”
