Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Gambhir "mentally the most insecure", says former coach Upton

Gautam Gambhir was "mentally the most insecure" but that didn't deter him from becoming one of India's most successful batsmen, former mental conditioning coach Paddy Upton writes in his newly-released book, an assertion that the feisty ex-opener doesn't even find hurtful.

Gambhir, who is a now a politician and competing from the East Delhi constituency, told PTI that he is confident that there is "no sinful intention in Upton's views as he is a nice man and in any case his insecurities are well documented".


In his book The Barefoot Coach, Upton discussed the myth of mental toughness of elite sportsperson and how they react to situations.

"I did some of my best and least effective mental conditioning work with Gautam Gambhir, the International Test Cricketer of the Year' in 2009. I worked with him up until that time but I had little to do with him being named world's best cricketer," Upton writes in his book.

Upton recalled how the left-handed opener would be in "agony" even after scoring a hundred and stressing more on the mistakes he might have made.

Upton termed Gautam as someone who was wired towards the lower end of the optimism/pessimism scale if 100 stands for "uber-optimistic" and 0 stood for pessimistic.

"Let's say his range was 20 to 40 with 30 being normal. When he scored 150, he would be disappointed in not scoring 200."

Upton wrote that no matter what he and then coach Gary Kirsten did Gambhir was "negative and pessimistic."

Upton then explained the contradiction and myth associated with mental toughness.

"Using popular notion of mental toughness, he was one of the weakest and mentally most insecure' people I have worked with.

"But at the same time, he was undoubtedly one of the best and most determined and successful Test batsmen in the world. Something he would prove yet again in 2011 World Cup final."

Upton then explained that positive self talk, which is "a pillar or sub-component of mental toughness -- It would work for about 50 percent of them, those who are lucky enough to be wired on the optimistic side of the scale."

Gambhir's response was, "I wanted myself and Indian team to be the best in the world. That's why I was not satisfied even after scoring 100 as it has been mentioned in Paddy's book. I see nothing wrong there. As a driven individual I have tried to raise the bar for myself alone."

In the same chapter, Upton wrote about former captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni's "incredible emotional control".

"I would go as far as to say, with greatest respect for MS the man and the cricketer, that it is not emotional control but the lack of access to emotions. MS is not wired as an emotional type. It's almost as if he doesn't have them; a performance enhancing gift from birth," Upton wrote.

He then put it in stark contrast with current captain Virat Kohli.

"Imagine taking that trait as the ultimate characteristic of a mentally tough athlete and then try to prescribe it to someone as emotionally wired like his successor Virat Kohli.

"Virat uses his visible and overt emotional charge to drive his success, whereas MS's success is facilitated by his lack of emotional charge," wrote Upton.

More For You

uk-railways-iStock

The package includes £415 million to upgrade the rail line between Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds, and York, a route affected by delays and disruptions. (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

Government announces £1.7 bn transport investment for the North

THE GOVERNMENT has announced a £1.7 billion investment to improve transport infrastructure across the North, focusing on buses, roads, and rail.

The funding aims to upgrade key routes and improve connectivity across the region.

Keep ReadingShow less
 20 Years of ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ – A TV Legacy That Lives On

20 years of love, loss, and unforgettable moments—Grey’s Anatomy continues to define TV drama

Pinterest

20 years of 'Grey’s Anatomy': The show that became a lifeline

For someone who has always craved fast-paced crime shows, I never thought I’d care about a hospital drama. The scrubs, the medical jargon, the beeping monitors, it all felt distant, clinical. But life breaks you open when you least expect it. I started Grey’s Anatomy on a night when my own grief was too loud. I needed noise to fill the silence. Then Meredith Grey’s voice cut through:

“So, do it. Decide.
Is this the life you want to live?
Is this the person you want to love?
Is this the best you can be?
Can you be stronger? Kinder?
More compassionate? Decide.

Keep ReadingShow less
IPL 2025 – GT vs MI: Who Will Secure Their First Win

Both teams eager to secure their maiden win of IPL 2025

Getty

IPL 2025 - GT vs MI: Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians aim for first win

The ninth match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 will take place on March 29 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, featuring a highly anticipated clash between Gujarat Titans (GT) and Mumbai Indians (MI). Both teams will be keen to register their first win of the season after disappointing starts in their respective opening matches. This game is expected to be a closely fought contest, with each side eager to make an early impact in the tournament.

Gujarat Titans: Seeking redemption after high-scoring defeat

Gujarat Titans, led by Shubman Gill, began their IPL 2025 campaign with a high-scoring encounter against the Punjab Kings, but unfortunately ended up on the losing side. Despite some positive individual performances, the team was unable to secure a victory, and they will be keen to turn things around against MI.

Keep ReadingShow less
Why Do Muslims Celebrate Eid al-Fitr on Different Days? 3 Key Reasons

Some may celebrate on one day, while others may observe it the next

iStock

3 reasons why Muslims across the globe celebrate Eid al-Fitr on different days

Eid is one of the most joyous and important festivals in Islam, celebrated twice a year by Muslims worldwide. However, it’s common to see variations in the exact day of celebration, even within the same country. Some may celebrate on one day, while others may observe it the next. This divergence can sometimes confuse people outside the Muslim community and even among Muslims themselves. But the reasons for this variation are rooted in Islamic traditions and differing interpretations of how to determine the Islamic calendar.

Here are the three main reasons why Muslims don’t always celebrate Eid on the same day:

Keep ReadingShow less
Keir-Starmer-Getty

Keir Starmer’s communications chief has resigned after nine months in Downing Street. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Starmer’s communications chief Matthew Doyle resigns after nine months

KEIR STARMER’s communications chief, Matthew Doyle, has resigned after nine months in Downing Street. Doyle, a Labour veteran who previously worked for Tony Blair, joined Starmer’s team as communications director four years ago when the party was in opposition.

His departure follows that of Sue Gray, Starmer’s former chief of staff, who left in the autumn. Doyle’s exit is expected to lead to the promotions of James Lyons to director of communications (strategy) and Steph Driver to director of communications (delivery), according to the BBC.

Keep ReadingShow less