Chapter 49: Training my Punches
Ah, what a beautiful morning it was in the lovely month of March! The temperature was just right, not too chilly and not too warm, making it the perfect day for a rigorous training session. As the anticipation grew, our team quickly geared up and gathered, ready to head out to the illustrious Wankhede Stadium for today's training.
I arrived at the bus precisely at 8:00 AM, eager and ready to go. As I boarded, I quickly made my way to the front and sat down beside the friendly bus driver. Coincidentally, he was also from Uttar Pradesh like me, which made for a great connection as we conversed in our shared dialect - one that is understood across most parts of UP. Having someone to chat with on the bus ride was the perfect start to the day!
The ride to the Wankhede Stadium was a quick 15-minute journey from our hotel. Once we arrived, we wasted no time and began our warm-up routine, stretching our bodies to get ready for the intense training session ahead. After 15 minutes of limbering up, we gathered around to listen to the words of our coaches.
As the training session progressed, our team was split into three sections, each led by our respective coaches. I was l grouped with the batting coach, Greg Chappell from Australia. Before diving into the nitty-gritty of our training, Chappell gathered all of us together and delivered a pep talk
"Listen up team, I want you to take a deep breath and relax. I want you to remember that we've been here before. We are the same team that won the last ODI series and we have what it takes to win this also."
"Winning isn't just about physical strength, it's about having the right mindset too. I want you to close your eyes and visualise yourself hitting those boundaries. Believe in yourself and your team. Trust in your training, your instincts, and your ability to execute on the field."
After the pep talk from Coach Chappell, it was time for our training session to begin. My turn was up, and the coach had something new in store for me.
"Vipin, let's try something different today," he said.
"I'm all ears, coach," I replied, eager to learn and improve.
"From what I've observed, your full swing is effective when the ball has pace and travels high and long. But when there's no pace on the ball or it's spinning, it doesn't help you much," he explained.
"I see what you mean, coach. But I thought I did pretty well last time," I said, slightly surprised.
"Let me ask you, how many of those big shots turned into one-bounce fours?" Coach Chappell asked.
"Most of them, but that's because I didn't get enough power on the backfoot," I answered.
"That's exactly what I'm saying, Vipin. You're still young, and your shoulders don't have the power you need to hit a slower ball or a ball that's spinning. So I want you to try punching them instead of doing a full swing," he suggested.
"Swing the bat down with a high front elbow, and punch the bat forward with your bottom hand while positioning your head above the ball," he continued.
"Your bat comes at an angle that pushes the ball up in the air, and with slower deliveries, it'll just end up being an easy catch for the fielders. So try playing them on the ground, and you'll have a better chance of finding gaps in the field. Remember, not every ball needs to be a six," Coach Chappell advised, and I nodded eagerly, ready to put his advice into practice.
He was absolutely right about this one. During my first few matches, as a new player, the opposing team underestimated me and failed to place their fielders deep in the ground. If there were any fielders present, I would have been caught out on every backfoot shot that ended up going for a boundary. It was as if they were giving me a free pass to score, and boy did I take advantage of it!
After thanking the coach, I headed straight to the nets to practice. I called over a bowler to throw me some slower deliveries, determined to perfect my punch shots.
The first delivery was a good length slower ball. I could have easily stepped out and hit it for a six, but my focus was on practicing my punch shots. So, I shifted onto the back foot, swung the bat, and stopped it midway, transferring the momentum from the bat to the ball.
The ball gained speed and hit the side nets with a satisfying thud. If the nets were open, the ball would have rolled down the ground, and with no fielders present, I would have easily scored four runs.
I continued the session, solely focused on perfecting my punch shots. By the end, I had connected with the ball in the middle of the bat thirty percent of the time, sending it flying into the nets with ease. For the remaining shots, I hit a little above or below the sweet spot, but still managed to score a single or two.
During the next session, both the fielding and batting teams practiced together, and I finally got to face a typical field placement. I had always relied on hitting my shots in the air, so this was a new challenge for me. I had to calculate where to place my shots, rather than just blindly swinging my bat.
For the next few days, my routine remained the same. I continued to perfect my punch shots and played against the field placement, while also dedicating some time to training my bowling and fielding skills. If there was a report card, I was sure to get an A+ rating!
All in all, my training was a huge success. I had come a long way with my punch shots, but I still needed some polishing, particularly with placing them in the gaps. However, I had developed enough skill to avoid getting out while playing. Although, I must admit that sometimes I still forget to punch and end up going for a full swing, even when playing on the backfoot.
Despite this, I was excited to put my newfound skills to the test in my next match. I couldn't wait to see how I would fare against the competition, armed with my new tactics and strategies.