Cricket News: Will 'mental conditioning' help KL Rahul

You had a head coach and a batting, bowling, and fielding coach. Teams then expanded that remit, and fitness trainers, physiotherapists, and masseurs also became part of the setup. 

The rise of franchise cricket has also given rise to ‘mentors’ – former players brought in to help either with batting or bowling, but with a more hands-off approach than the coaches. 

However, the times are a-changing, and modern teams and players also focus on aspects beyond the physical. The focus is now on one’s mental health and preparation as well. 

Before the T20 World Cup 2022, the Indian cricket team added Paddy Upton to the group as a mental fitness coach. 

Indeed, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has said that KL Rahul should speak to Upton due to his recent struggles in the tournament. 

“Paddy Upton is our mental fitness coach and if he hasn’t worked with him (Rahul) yet, he will,” Gavaskar told Sports Tak. 

“While the batting coach might point out his errors, the player has to speak with the mental conditioning coach to boost his confidence.” 

Indeed, it’s good advice from Sunil Gavaskar as KL Rahul’s issues seem less about his technique and style of play and more about being inhibited and looking tentative in the crease – telltale signs of a player thinking way too much instead of simply focusing on the task at hand. 

Of course, KL Rahul won’t be the only one to have conversations about his mental state if he speaks to Upton – with specific media reports suggesting he will indeed be taking up Sunil Gavaskar’s advice. 

Taskin Ahmed, who looked like a man reborn for Bangladesh in recent times, also took up mind training to revive his career. 

He worked with mind trainer Sabit Rayhan, who recently revealed what exactly it is that Taskin has done to overcome his early career blips and inconsistencies. 

“He (Taskin) is leaving the previous ball in the past category. He is habituated to a system that suggests him to immediately focus on the next delivery even if he misses a hat trick,” Sabit Rayhan told Cricbuzz. 

“Yes it is true that little things used to bother him but due to consistency he has developed a pattern to make a comeback.” 

It is an exciting revelation and is in line with the constant evolution of coaching methods and our society. 

Conversations around mental health and the importance of taking care of one’s mind are more prevalent than ever in today’s day and age. 

And sportspeople at the highest level are exposed to vast amounts of pressure – not helped by the fact that anyone with an account can send hate-filled messages to them in the social media era. 

But it’s not just a societal thing; it’s also true of the sport – especially T20 World Cup cricket, which is a high-risk and high-reward format and can often underwhelm players. 

The importance of taking care of your mental state to ensure you remain in elite competition mode is revelatory – and will, in all likelihood, become the norm in times to come. 

Not just in cricket, either. But for sports in general.