Misbah wants players to use break to ‘reinvigorate’ themselves

KARACHI: With cricket coming to an indefinite halt globally due to the coronavirus pandemic, Pakistan’s coach and chief selector Misbah-ul-Haq wants his players to think of this break as a “chance to reinvigorate” themselves.

“Going forward, I feel mentally what players are thinking is the most important aspect,” Misbah said. The break, he feels, will help players recharge their batteries away from the otherwise ceaseless workload of the game, and make them hungrier than ever when cricket eventually resumes.

“I will be emphasising that you’ve got to believe in yourself and stay positive. Yes, it’s a tough situation but at the same time consider this break a chance to reinvigorate yourself. Several players have been playing consistently and we all need a break from the load of cricket,” Misbah told ESPNcricinfo.

“We will be speaking with players and instilling this in their mind that you are not going to forget your basics, and your game and skillsets will remain with you,” he said.

“All you have to do is analyse yourself, and we will help them with feedback from watching their videos. This break will basically spark more hunger in them, and they will want to play with heart when they return to action. Intrinsically a passionate sportsperson doesn’t want to sit idle, that’s natural, and once you’ve held him back for some time he will come back with more intensity than ever.”

While the current situation lasts, most of Pakistan’s players will have no way to practise their cricketing skills. In order that they don’t lose their rhythm completely, Misbah said it was important for them to know their own game inside-out.

“Obviously you need practice, that is integral,” he said. “But when you thoroughly know your basics - your feet movements, point of release, your stance, understanding the bowlers - all this is imprinted in your mind, and it’s not really hard to return to the game. Obviously you need practice to shake off the rustiness but it becomes easier if you have a full knowledge of your game,” added Misbah.

“So this is the time to know your own game, and if you are clueless about yourself and how you do things then it’s very difficult for you to pick up the game and start where you left off. This is the time to understand yourself and break it down in your mind, and life will be easier going forward.”

Misbah also stressed the importance of players keeping themselves fit. “Problem is that at this time nobody has the facilities to practise, so for now the one thing I am talking to players is about fitness,” Misbah said.

“We are in touch with players on an individual basis, both with the batters and bowlers, and we are talking and keeping them in track. But we are not really sure for how long we will be stuck this way. We are doing our homework and doing all we can to plan and prepare ourselves in the present circumstances. Nobody expected this stoppage so it’s a completely new situation for us and we are thinking how we can keep players in the game virtually,” he said.

“Along with my assistant coach Shahid Aslam, I’m getting players’ videos from the PSL and the recent series we played, and breaking them down in terms of strengths and weaknesses, and getting back to the players with our feedback. It’s tough to get them on board collectively and make them practise, but with some clarity in the situation we can at least be ready to execute with a clear mind [when cricket resumes].”

As much as the situation is an unfamiliar one for the players, it’s equally so for Misbah, but he has found ways to keep himself busy. “I don’t think I have sat around facing such uncertainty in my entire career. I once sat at home recovering from jaundice.”

“But this time, I’m lucky that I have taken the timely decision to have a fully equipped gym and nets facility at home. It’s good to have time to yourself, not doing anything, because I have been very busy recently and couldn’t manage my fitness routine.”

As hard as it is for cricketers to stay away from the game, Misbah feels it’s important for them to put their issues in perspective, given the scale of the issue the world is fighting. “Breaks are never good and it’s a problem for us as cricketers,” Misbah said. “Things were going very smoothly, and we were going to play a Test and ODI against Bangladesh, the now whole sequence and continuity has broken down.

“But nobody can do anything because the situation we all are in is bigger than cricket. It’s important for us to not think about anything other than how to save humanity from this virus,” he added.