What goes through the mind of a batsman struck on the helmet
Trying to negotiate the quick and nasty stuff from a genuine fast bowler is arguably the toughest of challenges facing any batsman. However, since the advent of helmets, the impact of a blow on the head has reduced significantly.
Nevertheless, the particular moment that the ball crashes onto the grill can open up a wave of thoughts with some of them veering towards the jocular side of things.
Let us take a look at five such thoughts that go through a batsman’s mind after being struck on the helmet.
(Disclaimer: The author has himself played club cricket and been struck on the helmet quite a few times (albeit against gentle medium-pacers). Hence, he can somewhat understand the difficulty that a batsman faces against the short ball. This article is meant to be taken in a lighter vein and intended purely for humorous reading.)
#5 Wait, did I actually sign up for this?
As soon as the ball thuds on to my helmet (Yup, from now on, I am taking a middle-stump guard), the mind begins to race. The first one that crops up will be the countless stars (or lack thereof) surrounding the dizzy head. Amidst all the clouded thoughts, there is a prickly one which stands out due to its sheer inevitability – I didn’t actually sign up for this.
They say you can witness your entire life within a few fleeting glimpses as the end looms. Though not quite the same in this case, the focus does tend to shift to those formative years. Out of all those things that I could have done with my life, why did I choose to step onto the arena even as a blood-thirsty speedster lay in wait?
Gardening (not the fake one batsmen tend to do on the field) or an air-conditioned office job might just have been better alternatives.