Rahul Dravid feels wise use of the COVID-19 break can prolong careers
Former India captain Rahul Dravid recently brainstormed on the pros and cons of the COVID-19-enforced break for cricketers. He claimed that this period was the perfect opportunity for cricketers to recharge their batteries, but also admitted that the players might have an initial hesitancy on their return to the field.
Rahul Dravid attended a Facebook Live show, titled 'Staying Ahead of the Curve– The Power of Trust', alongside Abhinav Bindra and Prakash Padukone. In the session, Dravid spoke on several topics including the hot subject of the return of cricket post the COVID-19 scare.
Dravid opined that cricketers using this break well could expect their careers to get prolonged by around two to three years. He termed it a golden opportunity for all age-group players to freshen up psychologically as well as physically, which will help them make a stronger return.
“I have been telling a lot of the cricketers to see it as an opportunity to rest the body, rest the mind, you will never get that opportunity, never get that chance. Think about it, if you use these two months well, three months well, you could elongate your career by two or three years at the back end which you might not have if you didn’t have this kind of break."
Rahul Dravid feels players will hesitate to play initially
Dravid admitted that even though cricketers are used to off-seasons, in this case a return to normalcy on the field might take more time than usual. But the head of NCA doesn't see this forced break as a major problem, and sounded confident that the elite sportspersons would be back to their best after they overcome the initial period of hesitancy.
“For a short period, there may be a sense of doubt or fear about certain things. I am sure there will be a certain hesitancy when we get back in, also there will be certain hesitancy in terms of people. Personally, I don’t see that (the COVID-19-enforced break) as a huge problem. I don’t think that once elite sportspersons get on the field, get to do what they really love, they will have a problem."
“One of the challenges for a lot of sportspersons will be to trust their bodies after two or three months of not playing sports or movements that are associated with sports.”
