Former Indian cricketer and chief of the BCCI Selection Committee Sandeep Patil has on Sunday (June 21) come out with some crucial suggestions for all the players that can be helpful when they finally return to cricketing action following Coronavirus-forced hiatus.
All the sporting activities including the cricket calendar halted due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic since mid-March with the first international fixture set to begin next month between England and the West Indies at the bio-secure venues and empty stadiums.
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Following such a long break, injuries are more likely on resumption and Patil admitted that these are testing times for the entire world including the cricketers, especially to avoid injuries, saying it would be really challenging to bounce back without any injuries for any player.
The 1983 World Cup winner further advised players to be strong both mentally and physically to ensure an injury-free comeback in the COVID-19 era following a Coronavirus-forced break.
Patil said on Star Sports show ‘Winning the Cup -- 1983’, “These are pretty uncertain times and the challenge to bounce back without any injuries will be a real task for any player. But they need to remember that all these challenges will first have to be dealt strongly in the mind. You need to begin slowly and ensure that you tune your focus firmly on making an injury-free comeback.”
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Recalling his stint with Kenya as a coach, the former batsman said: “Even during my tenure as coach of Kenya, I used to always focus on players being mentally strong before any tournament.”
The 63-year-old, who played 29 Tests and 45 ODIs for India between 1980 and 1986, also cited the example of how India managed to win the 1983 World Cup final against the mighty West Indies while explaining the importance of mental strength in winning any game at any situation.
Patil signed off, “During the 83 World Cup final, after we were restricted to 183, we thought we were down and out. But before stepping onto the field for the second innings, we all made a very fervent resolution in our minds and as a team. The rest they say is history! Bowling to the likes of Greenidge, Viv Richards was no easy task but because we were focused on laying our hands on that trophy, we were able to do it. So, being mentally mature is very important for any sportsperson, not just cricketers.”
(With PTI Inputs)
