CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu coach D Vasu believes the lockdown is a blessing in disguise for the players as they can attend to their aching bodies. He also says that time away from the game can help the players come back refreshed and hungry for more.
“The break is an excellent opportunity for the players. They have been playing nonstop cricket for the last six months. It is a good time for those who need rehab. The likes of Varun Chakravarthy, Aswin Crist, Shahrukh Khan and Yo Mahesh had some injury or the other. They can attain peak fitness and come back stronger,’’ said Vasu.
During self-isolation, the former Tamil Nadu all-rounder insists that patience becomes an important virtue. “It’s difficult to stay indoors. Many players are used to staying in hotel rooms during long tours. But to live in fear and disassociate oneself from friends and relatives is new. Patience is the key for survival. Social distancing is the only way to stay away from the coronovirus,’’ opined Vasu.Experts are talking about mental fitness. “It will take time for sporting activities to resume. The IPL is postponed, the TNPL is set to begin in June. TNCA league matches are there. Sporting activities will resume. Sports is something that even the common man loves. One should never give up hope. This is only a passing phase. One must stay positive and hope for the best,’’ said Vasu.
Tamil Nadu did well in white ball cricket and reached the finals of the Syed Mustaq Ali and Vijay Hazare tournaments. But in red ball cricket they failed to make it to the quarterfinals. “We could have done better. We failed to seize the momentum in a couple of games and that’s why we could not make it to the quarterfinals. Things could be different the coming season. We are looking to spot new talent. Players are aware of what went wrong last season and I am sure they will not repeat mistakes.”
During the break, players may fail to take their fitness and diet seriously. “It will be difficult to maintain fitness. But all of them have specific fitness protocols and should strictly follow them. Diet is another area of concern. One can have a cheat day but not a cheat month. So I request all players to take care of their fitness and enjoy the time with their families,’’ signed off Vasu.