Staying mentally fit is very important, says Ajinkya Rahane
India’s Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane considers mental fitness to be as important as physical fitness. He was speaking in a webinar hosted by Nagpur Institute of Technology (NIT) and Koshish Foundation on 10th July (Friday). The batsman also spoke about his early days in cricket and how he is coping up with the lockdown.
The return will be challenging but ready for it
International cricket has resumed with the England-West Indies Test series yet India’s return to both domestic and international cricket remains uncertain.
“It’s good to see Test cricket resuming after a long break. As far as India is concerned, we don’t know when we will be able to play. There have been some rule changes. I am confident that we will face no difficulty in adjusting. It will be challenging but I am ready for it,” said Rahane.
Staying ready in the lockdown
With stricter rules in place, Rahane has not been able to play any kind of cricket in the last four months. However, the cricketer said that he has been following his routine without any break in the lockdown. “Keeping yourself mentally fit is very important. My day starts at 5:30, then I do meditation for some time. I follow it up with training and running to keep myself fit,” he added.
Rahane was blessed with a baby girl in October 2019 and the current scenario has provided him with a rare opportunity to spend time with her. “I am watching her grow daily and it’s a fantastic experience”. Not only does he help his wife in daily chores but has also learned to cook, he gleefully informed.
Tendulkar, Dravid are my role models
Rahane also remembered his initial steps in cricket. He narrated how he enjoyed cricket as every other Indian kid does. One of his neighbours spotted his batting capability and his father subsequently admitted him in the Dronacharya Cricket Club. At the age of 7, he was the youngest in the club. His first role model, his father, advised him to stay positive even in a challenging situation.
Stepping up in international cricket, Rahane said that Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid are his role models for their behaviour both on and off the field. “Respect cricket, keep working hard and control the controllable is what they always told me,” said Rahane.
Let’s stay patient in the mandatory overs
Current times have been extremely tough for a few sections of the society who need every help that we can muster. Coming from a farmer family, Rahane stressed the importance of taking care of our farmers. “They have worked harder than usual in this situation to ensure food on our plate. We must take great care of them,” he added. He also appealed the audience to help in any manner possible, no help is big or small.
When asked to advise students, Rahane imbibed the value of hard work. Never take short cuts, keep yourself focussed on the process and the results will come your way, is what the Indian batsman had to say. Equating the current scenario to the last day of a match, he said, “We have been patient so far. Now the last 15 mandatory overs remaining. Let’s see off this period too. This is our chance to contribute to our country.”
