News APP

NewsApp (Free)

Read news as it happens
Download NewsApp

Available on  gplay

This article was first published 4 years ago
Home  » Cricket » Lockdown Syndrome? Cricketers with wider interests can cope better

Lockdown Syndrome? Cricketers with wider interests can cope better

April 06, 2020 13:22 IST
Get Rediff News in your Inbox:

Paddy Upton

IMAGE: Rahul Dravid, left, and Paddy Upton during their stint at Rajasthan Royal. Photograph: BCCI

Cricketers who have interests beyond the sport are likely to cope better with the shutdown forced by the COVID-19 pandemic, said mental conditioning coach Paddy Upton.

Professional cricket, like most other sports, has come to a grinding halt in the wake of the global health crisis which has also forced lockdowns in several places.

 

"A significant change in the status quo is stressful for most people," South African Upton, who worked with the 2011 World Cup winning India team, told the Times of India newspaper.

"For athletes, there would be a range of experiences, from welcome relief for the established to anxiety and insecurity, both professionally and financially, for possibly a greater number.

"The athletes who had interests outside of cricket, and which they can still pursue, will be coping better than those who have made sport the sole focus and purpose of their lives."

Upton has also worked with the Pune, Rajasthan and Delhi franchises of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

He felt fringe players would be particularly disappointed with the uncertainty around this year's edition, which has been put back to April 15 with another postponement seemingly inevitable.

"Fringe players and those at the early stages of their career, especially those who have very recently broken through to the next level, would naturally be feeling this break very disruptive."

"Naturally IPL is a huge highlight on the calendar for many cricketers, and a cash cow," he added.

Get Rediff News in your Inbox:
Source: REUTERS
© Copyright 2024 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.

India In Australia 2024-2025