Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur believes her side needs a professional sports psychologist available to them on a regular basis. She stressed on the importance of a mental health specialist on board, saying an individual who understands mental fatigue allows players to be more comfortable in the team environment.
Harmanpreet’s remarks came a day after England allrounder Natalie Sciver opted out of the England-India limited-overs series in the UK due to mental fatigue. Previously, too, the veteran India batter had called for a mental health coach in place, someone players can trust and open up to about their issues when in need of a break.
“We as a team discuss a lot on these things. Your performances go up and down, and it is better to take a break than pushing too hard in such times,”
Harmanpreet was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
“As a team we want to help that player, and we are very open about players taking break when there is mental fatigue and things do not go as you want.”
Kaur gave her own example, stating she has also felt the need for breaks from time to time. The skipper revealed she wanted a break in between her Commonwealth Games T20I assignment with India and The Hundred competition, with the two tournaments scheduled back to back in the women’s calendar.
“Last year, I went through these things playing back-to-back cricket. This year, we had the Commonwealth Games, and the Hundred was there [one after the other], but I wanted to take a break. Playing back to back does take a mental toll, and it is good to take a break at times [rather] than pushing too hard.”
Indian women’s players have had a relatively busier year than what is often the norm for them. They began with a limited-overs series against New Zealand in the build-up to the month-long ODI World Cup on Kiwi shores in March-April.
Top cricketers then played the Women’s T20 Exhibition event in late May and made a white-ball trip for ODIs and T20Is to Sri Lanka in July. They then took part in the CWG T20I in Birmingham in August before joining their respective sides in The Hundred less than four days later.
Among their international assignments, the World Cup in New Zealand was the only time the Indian women’s side had a mental health and conditioning coach travelling with them. For Harmanpreet, the presence of Dr Mugdha Bavare benefitted the players immensely and kept them calm under pressure.
The Indian skipper hoped for a similar professional to be with them on a regular basis as they undergo a demanding itinerary at the top level.
“When we were on the New Zealand tour, [Bavare] was our go-to person and helped us a lot. I hope in future also we can get her with us, because right now we are paying too much attention to our physical fitness and skills. But mental skill is something we need to take seriously,
she said.
India will take on England in a series of three T20Is and three ODIs over the course of next two weeks. The tour begins with the first T20I in Durham on September 10, with the next two games scheduled on September 13 and 15 in Derby and Bristol. The ODIs, part of the ICC ODI Championship, will be held on September 18, 21 and 24 at Hove, Canterbury and Lord’s, respectively.
