Indian women's cricket team benefitting from sports psychologist's presence in New Zealand: Mithali Raj
India Today
India women's ODI captain Mithali Raj says the team is benefitting immensely from the presence of a sports psychologist during its ongoing tour of New Zealand.
India women's ODI skipper Mithali Raj said that the presence of a sports psychologist with the squad in New Zealand helps all players to absorb pressure and deal with pressure-cooker situations. Mithali also pointed out that such professional help is the need of the hour in Covid times.
Munda Bavaria is the sports psychologist traveling with the Indian team on a two-month-long tour of New Zealand comprising a bilateral series and the ODI World Cup. Mithali had earlier also spoken about the need for a psychologist to deal with the pressure of knockout games, but with tours now being played in bubbles, professional help is needed all the more.
"In today's times, it is even more important to have them around with the team with the longer duration of tour and quarantine and bubbles," Mithali said on the eve of the opening T20 against New Zealand.
"It is an extended tour of two months with the ODI series and the World Cup. It does help to have one on one sessions with a (sports psychologist).
"You see things differently and it helps you to understand yourself, to find your ways to deal with pressure and quarantine. To have somebody is always helpful," she added.
The team underwent a 10-day quarantine in Christchurch before traveling to Queenstown.
The MIQ in New Zealand was much more comfortable than in Australia, where the players had to live in tiny rooms for 14 days.
