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- Sports
- December 21, 2024
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Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Exclusive: Any transition has to be gradual, not in one fell swoop, says Allan Border | Cricket News
Sunil Gavaskar and Allan Border with the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at Perth Stadium on November 22, 2024. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images) Allan Border, arguably Australia‘s greatest captain, talks to TOI about the perils of rapid chopping & changing, how aggressive batting has ruled in this series & the rare art of Jasprit Bumrah…MELBOURNE: We are sitting at the rain soaked Gabba as the third Test drips away to meaninglessness. The legendary Allan Border, one of Australia’s most durable captains, one of their most determined and prolific batsmen, is lounging on a sofa, staring at the TV screen. There was a time when it was hard to imagine an Australian team without Border as leader. He stepped up at a difficult time, adapted to the role and by the time he left, Australian cricket had metamorphosed into the relentless winning machine it is today.It’s not for nothing that Australia’s cricketer of the year gets to wear the Allan Border medal. Border is now 69, his memory still sharp as a razor’s edge. He is concerned, though, when asked about his personal health. “Oh, man,” he sighs. “I mean, you know I’ve got Parkinson’s Disease. I’m not 100%. Luckily, I’ve got good medical help.” The talk moves on to cricketing matters, and Border is himself again. Stadium Walkthrough series: Inside The Gabba Excerpts from an interview…In your playing days, you were one of the fittest around, playing 153 consecutive Tests.Alastair Cook has the most (159). I was very fortunate as far as injury is concerned. The times I did have injury was in the off season. I didn’t ever miss games because of injury. That’s luck. Occasionally I’d have an injury that I probably shouldn’t have played with, but I did, like a broken finger.You led in 93 Tests, second only to Graeme Smith’s 109…I just loved the game! So even if there was a little niggle, you tried and played if…
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- Business
- November 19, 2024
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EXCLUSIVE | Dealing with tragedy: Mohammed Siraj’s 2020 heartbreak and the importance of mental conditioning for cricketers
Mohammed Siraj (Reuters Photo) NEW DELHI: India pacer Mohammed Siraj was practicing in Australia during the 2020-21 tour when he received the devastating news of his father’s death. The heartbreaking message was conveyed to him by Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri. Overwhelmed with grief, Siraj rushed to his hotel room and broke down.Siraj had the option to return home to be with his family during this difficult time. However, he ultimately chose to stay with the team, a decision largely influenced by the unwavering support he received from Kohli, Shastri, and other senior members of the squad, who provided him with the emotional strength to endure the ordeal.Putting the personal tragedy aside, Siraj opted to serve his nation. In the Melbourne Test, he claimed five wickets, playing a crucial role in India’s eight-wicket victory. Australia batters will find it difficult and have issues of their own He followed it up with two wickets in the drawn Sydney Test before delivering a stellar performance in the fourth Test, where his five-wicket haul dismantled Australia’s batting lineup, securing India’s three-wicket victory and a historic 2-1 series win.While Siraj was instrumental in India’s triumph, the pain of losing his father and being unable to say a final goodbye will always linger.This is where the role of a mental conditioning coach becomes crucial — helping players navigate deeply emotional and challenging moments while maintaining focus on their performance.With the Border-Gavaskar Trophy approaching, some players will be away from their families for extended periods.TimesofIndia.com caught up with Jody Martins, a South African mental and conditioning coach, to discuss how he supports players during such tough times, his work with Temba Bavuma, his experience with the Kerala cricket team, his collaboration with star batter Sanju Samson, and more … As a mental conditioning coach, what are the core principles you focus on to help athletes deliver peak performance under pressure?This is a great question. What I…
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