PRG's Thoughts

Rahul Dravid is the new coach of the Indian National Cricket Team. Not surprisingly, his appointment has been received with praise on social media and the press. One of the greats to play the game and a proven coach at the under-19 level. I for one am not too thrilled by the selection.  The Great Developer Rahul Dravid is my favourite Indian cricketer of all time. His contribution to the Indian team over the years is second to none but his contribution as a developer of young talent may be the best we've ever seen.  It is tough to remember a time where India's depth and bench strength in the sport has been as good as it is today. Sure, the IPL and overall infrastructure has acted as a catalyst, but a key player in this remarkable growth has been Dravid. His work in developing not only the skill but also the mental strength and attitude of young players is evident. Having a rich bench is the key to sustained success. The Australian sides of the late 90's and early 00's w

The term I have just about had enough of is- 'Spirit of Cricket'. Give me a break.  Either you have rules that prevent players from doing things, or you don't. It is senseless to have certain actions permissible by the rules, but consider these same actions against the 'Spirit of Cricket'. What does that even mean? Ravinchandran Ashwin and Eoin Morgan got in to it in DC's game against KKR after Ashwin took a run despite the ball being ricochetted off Rishabh Pant.  England won the ODI World Cup because a similar thing happened with Ben Stokes. Yes, that situation was slightly different but let's not act holier than thou Mr. Morgan.  As for the hogwash- 'Spirit of Cricket'- Isn't it time we got rid of this? Every time a bowler 'Mankad's' a batsman or an incident like this occurs, we go in to the antiquated debate of 'Spirit of Cricket.'  What I don't understand is how can there be a rule which contradicts the 'Spirit of

Mental Health is a serious issue. It was historically neglected and the global movement to bring awareness of its impact is long overdue.  Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles recent decisions to pull out of major competitions have brought mental health front and centre in the sports world.  An athlete is expected to perform to the peak of their ability at the highest level of competition. Four factors that could enable or derail them from achieving this are  1) Physical Health 2) Physical Fitness 3) Mental Health 4) Mental Fitness Physical Health - Injuries- These can be diagnosed with X-rays, MRIs, CT Scans.  Physical Fitness - Stamina, weight, muscle strength, BMI, hydration, nutrition etc.  Mental Health - Depression, Anxiety, Stress etc.  Mental Fitness - Ability to manage pressure, expectations, focus and also anxiety and stress.  A low level of Physical Fitness can sometimes lead to Physical Health Issues A low level of Mental Fitness can sometimes lead to Mental Health Issues.  The dif

Dear Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal fans, Remember all the years you spent debating, sharing articles, ravaging through statistics and even getting emotionally involved to prove that your guy is the GOAT of men's tennis....That was time well spent. Not as beloved as Roger or Rafa, a certain player named Novak Djokovic has proved, undoubtedly, that he is The Greatest Men's Tennis Player of All Time.  There is no logical argument to prove otherwise.  THE STATISTICS                                                        Novak                Roger                Nadal  Grand Slams                           20                          20                        20 ATP Masters 1000                36                    28                 36 Ending year ranked #1.        6                            5                          5 Won every Slam twice             Yes                        No                       No Weeks ranked #1                  328*                310               20

Naomi Osaka pulled out of the French Open after dealing with a backlash on her boycott of the mandatory post-match press conferences that players are required to attend.  In a heartfelt tweet , Osaka talked about her battle with depression post the 2018 drama filled US Open Final. She shared how she gets ‘huge waves of anxiety’ before speaking to the media. Mental Health is serious issue and I hope Osaka gets the help she needs to deal with her anxiety.  Her tweet on May 27th likened press conferences post a loss to ‘kicking a person while they’re down’. She also alleged that people have no regard for athlete’s mental health. A rather aggressive accusation.   She is an athlete that has taken a stand on issues in the past. In the 2020 US Open she wore a mask that had the names of victims of racial injustice like George Floyd. Not afraid of dealing with issues that could be considered controversial she often speaks her mind. She was named Time’s 100 most influential people in the world

The IPL and BCCI have come under severe criticism for continuing a cricket tournament during one of the greatest crisis in India’s history. Calls for stopping the tournament are all over social media. What a waste of a good opportunity.  Don’t shut down the IPL- USE IT!!! In 1985, Live Aid, a music concert held on one afternoon raised over $125 million for the famine in Ethiopia. A 24-hour telethon led by George Clooney ‘Hope for Haiti’ raised more than $57 million for the earthquake ravaged country.  Can you imagine how much awareness and money can be raised with a T20 match being played every single evening?  The BCCI is missing out on being one of the greatest contributors to India during this challenging time.  There are a number of people in India and abroad who would like to donate money and contribute in any way they can. The absence of a credible NGO or an easy-to-use platform hinders them in the process. There is no greater opportunity at the moment than the IPL to provide acc