The Hindu : Getting into the right frame of mind

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Feb 11, 2003

Sport

Sport - World Cup

Getting into the right frame of mind

By Our Special Correspondent

BLOEMFONTEIN FEB. 10. The Indians are on the right track.

A meeting with sports psychologist Sandy Gordon is expected to get the team into the right frame of mind before it begins its World Cup campaign with a match against Holland at Paarl on Wednesday.

Gordon is a known expert in his field, having served the Australian Cricket Board and various top individuals in world cricket.

The Indian cricketers too have been in contact with him and discovered his importance during the tour of England last year.

The team will have two sessions with Gordon where the players would meet him individually.

Gordon is said to be a brilliant motivator and his presence is likely to make the players rediscover their confidence.

India skipper Sourav Ganguly appreciated the idea.

"It helps. We've interacted with Sandy on a few occasions, and I'm sure the sessions before the first match would help the players,'' he had said at Durban.

The Indians would benefit from a peep into history.

The great Viv Richards had struggled to get bat to ball during a tour of Australia. He was rattled by the Aussie pacemen and did not mind a few motivating sessions with noted psychologist Rudi Webster.

The transformation was quick and Richards found himself scoring runs before the tour was over, hitting a near-century in a Test.

The Indians had long talked of getting a sports psychologist to enable the players understand their potential and play to the best of their abilities. Even this move to engage a psychologist may have come a little too late but the team was of the opinion that it was necessary before it plunges into the competition.

Gordon is said to be a specialist in cricket analysis and is rated highly by the Aussies, who are known for their mental resilience. This is one aspect which the Indians would do well to improve upon. Holland may not really test the Indians, but then it could be the first step towards achieving their goal. Many past cricketers had advocated this idea of employing a sports psychologist with former captain Bishan Singh Bedi being in the forefront.

"The Indians need to be motivated. They're a good bunch but need to be pushed to raise their game. A psychologist can be a big help,'' had been Bedi's opinion.

Even Kapil Dev was not averse to the idea. "Anything that helps the team should be encouraged,'' was his reaction when the demand for a psychologist was first made by Ganguly. The Indians are presently based in Paarl, preparing for the match against Holland.

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