Eric Simons, IPL 2020
Confidence is like gathering mist
There is often a gap between potential and actual performance in sport that creates a lot of frustration. The gap is caused by the noise that goes on inside our heads. It’s a noise that will try to highlight the problems, the pitfalls, the opposition and the consequence of failure. I am sure it doesn’t just happen in sport but in every walk of life. Silencing those noises is often at the very core of coaching. One of those ‘noises’ in our heads is confidence, or more importantly, the lack thereof.
Sporting confidence is a peculiar and fragile commodity. If we could harness it and distribute it to players like an energy drink our jobs would be largely done. Unfortunately, it’s probably easier to catch and bottle mist. You might think that a team with so many experienced players like the Chennai Super Kings wouldn’t have a problem with confidence. After all, players like MS Dhoni, Shane Watson, Dwayne Bravo and Faf du Plessis have played thousands of games between them over the course of many years.
They know their games, they know themselves and they know each other intimately. They know how good they are and that form is just a game away. But nobody is immune to a loss of confidence, no matter how much bravado they can muster. One of the most important things in life, and sport is no different, is to ask the right questions when searching for answers. It ensures that you look for the solution in the right places. What experience teaches cricketers is that the solution seldom lays in more or longer net sessions. More often than not it is in recognising where the head is and what one needs to concentrate on to silence the noise and unlock the potential.
When MS spoke about a lack of confidence in some areas of our game before the last match, he was simply being honest. Admitting to a lack of confidence is not a sign of weakness, it shows the maturity and honesty with which we go about our business, something I have often spoken about, and it also shows emotional intelligence.
Although he may talk about it, MS is somehow different to mere mortals when it comes to dealing with this noise. He is pragmatic and deals with low scores the same way he does a match winning performance. A simple shrug of the shoulders and keeps focusing on his process. It’s been a privilege to watch.
He is just one innings away from producing his very best, I’m convinced of it. He has never looked better in the nets and has been nothing short of brutal on some of the spin bowlers in particular during net practices. He knows, we know it – and soon the cricket world will know it.
It was an excellent win against the Royal Challengers. We were clinical and efficient, hallmarks of CSK teams at their best. As I suggested would happen at the start of the tournament, the pitches are starting to become ‘drier’ which makes them slower with more grip for the spinners. We have the bowlers and the batsmen for those conditions so, hopefully, we can put together a winning run and climb into the top half of the table.
One of the many reasons I enjoy the IPL is because we are able to interact with the very best cricketers from all over the world and learn how they view the game - we also hear how they regard and see South African cricketers. I do hope South Africans are appreciating the skills and success of Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje for the Delhi Capitals, Quinton de Kock for Mumbai Indians and, of course, the incomparable AB de Villiers for RCB together with Chris Morris who has had two very good outings since returning from injury. Not to mention Faf du Plessis in our camp. We have a tendency to take them for granted but they are doing special things in extreme circumstances.
There are plenty of permutations when it comes to who will qualify in each edition of the IPL. Last year Sunrisers Hyderabad qualified on net run rate with just 6 victories. We don’t talk about that sort of thing in team meetings – we just focus on the next match – but I have no doubt that privately everyone keeps an eye on the log and every matches result.
It’s a cliché but it really is one match at a time from here.
Police escort cars are a bit different in the UAE.
Faf is the latest member of the squad to try his hand as ‘team barber’
The evening gatherings on the 24th floor balcony becoming more and more popular as the tournament progresses
