IND vs WI: T20 World Cup: India head coach Rahul Dravid is excited to work alongside Paddy Upton with an eye on the T20 World Cup. The latter has been appointed the mental conditioning coach of the Indian team. Dravid is keen to tap into his immense knowledge and bring the best out of their players in the near future, especially the T20 World Cup, scheduled in October in Australia.
Upton is not new to the Indian team. He was the Indian team from 2008-2011, helping India win the 2011 World Cup as well. Dravid, who was one of the key figures to have Upton back on board, knows his new member of the support staff. He also worked with him in the IPL franchise like Rajasthan Royals and the then Delhi Daredevils too.
Dravid will hope that Upton will be able to bring all his experience and skills to help players deliver their best in the World Cup. Upton has already joined the team in the Caribbean and was spotted having some light conversation with some of the players.
Bringing back Upton seems to be a tactical move. He knows several players of the Indian team as he was most recently involved with the Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2022 as well. With the Indian players having had a hectic season and more, Dravid stressed on the importance of mental side of the game. As per Dravid, the familiarity of the Indian team and players is a perfect fit for Team India ahead of the World Cup.
.@PaddyUpton1 is back with #TeamIndia as mental conditioning coach. 👍 👍
Here’s what he had to say about his role with the team & his bond with Head Coach Rahul Dravid as he begins his stint with the team. 👌 👌 – By @28anand
Watch 🎥 🔽 #WIvIND pic.twitter.com/IYU8pCEKQj
— BCCI (@BCCI) July 27, 2022
“In terms of international team and travelling as players, we do understand the mental side of the game, it is important. We are lucky to have Paddy on board. He has the experience of being with the team during 2011 WC, even before that,” Dravid said in a BCCI video.
“Most importantly, he is familiar with the Indian players, having worked with them in the IPL teams and the Indian team before. He is familiar with the culture and how the India team function. A good fit for us and tap into the knowledge and his experience as we look to build the team in World Cup.”
The last couple of years has been quite difficult for the players from the mental side of it. They have had to stay in strict bio bubbles and things have not been easy. So the appointment of Upton means that he can identify the problem areas off the field and help them overcome to enhance their performance on the pitch.
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