IPL 2020 | It will be a challenge for experienced players to play without crowd buzz, feels Simon Katich
RCB head coach Simon Katich believes that it will be a challenge for the experienced players to perform well without the crowd buzz but it will help the younger players. The 2020 IPL is all set to be played behind closed doors from September 19 due to the ongoing Covid pandemic situation.
Crowd buzz, up to an extent that it borders madness, is what we are used to when it comes to the most loved sports league in the country, IPL. But, this year around, even having IPL has been some challenge given how novel Coronavirus has impacted the whole world, more so, India. But, finally the lucrative league moved out of India and is now all set to kickstart from September 19 in UAE with training and preparations going on in full swing. Notably, the 13th edition of the cash-rich league will be played without crowds.
RCB's head coach and former Australian Test opener, Simon Katich is of the opinion that lack of crowd buzz will ease the pressure on younger players though it might make it a challenge for the experienced players to get the best out of themselves, as they are habituated to getting adrenaline rush going in crazy crowd buzz.
"Personally, I think some of the younger players actually enjoy the fact that there will be little less pressure with less people at the ground creating all that noise and distraction. It will be more of a challenge for some of the older guys that are used to the buzz of the crowd and getting the adrenaline going. But I think there will still be a lot of motivation within our squad to go out and perform well," Katich told RCB TV.
Fortunately for the RCB franchise, all their team and staff members have successfully served the quarantine period and have also tested negative for COVID-19. At the moment, training sessions are underway, with everyone trying to make up for the lack of practice in the last six months and get back into the competitive mindset gradually.
Reflecting on the same, Katich said, "The process has started in the last few months. The (coaching) staff has started working to prepare the players mentally. We've had a number of zoom sessions with a number of young players to start preparing them on what to expect from this IPL. So from that point of view, now the cricket side of things take over where they start preparing and training. So we can use this window knowing that the three weeks is the bare minimum that we need given that there has been such a long layoff. It's sort of a gradual process in the build up.
"The first week is about getting into the nets, getting the confidence back that they do this naturally. In the second week, it's about getting through physically alright, in the sense there is no niggle or soreness. Then we can up the intensity with the match scenario and practice. In the third week, that's when we got matches organised of getting them used to the pressure of playing games. It is a long tournament. We want to start well but we want to be mindful that we're playing well and sustain for eight weeks if you want to win it. You can't pick and choose when that can happen. So we have to be consistent and we're trying to impress that on the guys."
There have been concerns surrounding the Covid-19 in IPL, especially after 13 members from the CSK camp, which also includes two players, were tested positive for the novel Coronavirus. The 45-year-old feels that the team needs to be flexible in their mindset and be prepared for 'uncertainty' given the pandemic time we are in.
"There will be uncertainty. Things are going to be all over the place at times in terms of you have something planned and it will all change because of something unforeseen happening. There has to be an element of being relaxed and not be wound up about things changing at the last moment. I'm trying to approach it like that. But you plan for what you want to achieve and go forward with that," the former Aussie batsman opined.
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