Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis gave his remarks on Indian batsman Virat Kohli. When asked about how he is able to constantly manage the smile on his face while also having intense discussions about a mindset rather than technique, Stoinis brought up Virat Kohli.
He mentioned how Kohli brings vigor and focus to every game, while also having played “a ridiculous amount of cricket”. Stoinis, in the interview, tried to point out how mindset is of extreme importance, especially in sports, given the extreme pressure, fear of expectations, the heat of the moment, etc. He said that there are situations where your mindset is more important than your skills and technique.
Stoinis further added that the Covid-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on the mental health of all sportspersons, especially during quarantine periods. Even now that the pandemic has started to wane, sports tournaments are necessitated to have quarantine bubbles for all players and teams. The intense loneliness felt by players in these bio-bubbles further makes it difficult for a player to be able to compete in tournaments because these long breaks are exhausting. One doesn’t get to meet their families or even their fellow players, and being totally cut off from physical human touch makes it excruciatingly painful for the sportsperson. That is a problem particularly when competitions are coming up, because a player’s mental health is of utmost importance then. Stoinis pointed out that this is where a player’s mindset matters the most, because be it on-field or off-field, a player with a strong mindset would always be able to conquer both.
Talking about Kohli, he said that is how Kohli comes in, because it is the responsibility of every player to bring the most to the table, and players like Kohli bring a strong mindset to the team’s collective table, making it one of their most crucial contributions. This is often what makes them win matches, said Stoinis.
Kohli’s performance with the RCB this year wasn’t up to the mark and the player had to go through intense criticism, not only from fans but also from legends like Kapil Dev. He is expected to bounce back in the blue jersey.
Team India is all set for the T20 World Cup in Australia this year, with spectators watching Kohli with keen eyes. That is where Kohli and Stoinis would be facing each other off.
