NEW DELHI: India’s bowling coach, Paras Mhambrey, reckons both Virat Kohli and Mohammed Shami possess exceptional mental strength, despite their contrasting personalities. Mhambrey attributes this mental fortitude as a significant factor contributing to Team India‘s success.
During the ODI World Cup last year, Kohli demonstrated his batting prowess by amassing an impressive 765 runs at an astounding average of 95.62, securing the top spot on the batting charts.
On the other hand, Shami showcased his bowling prowess by claiming 24 wickets at a remarkable average of 10.70, topping the bowling charts. Their stellar performances played a crucial role in India’s journey to the runner-up finish in the tournament.
Despite their differences in personality, Kohli and Shami’s mental resilience and ability to thrive under pressure have been instrumental in India’s achievements on the cricketing stage. Their contributions highlight the importance of mental strength in the highly competitive world of international cricket, showcasing their invaluable leadership and talent within the team.
“Both are different personalities altogether, but in terms of mental strength, both are up there,” Mhambrey said at the launch of book ‘G.O.A.T.S Must Be Crazy’ authored by management professional Vishnu Govind at the International Institute of Sports and Management in Mumbai.
“Virat is purely aggressive, on the face all the time. Shami is complete in contrast, never on his own. You will see a lot more bowlers being pumped out in celebration after taking a wicket but Shami will do the usual ‘hello’ kind of stuff.
“Shami appears to be laid back, but he understands his game in and out. He knows what’s expected of him. I’ve worked a lot with Shami in the recent past. He’s completely different in terms of training and he will do something that suits him. He knows what works for him and knows his body inside out,” he said.
Talking about Kohli, Mhambrey said: “Virat is one of the best at chasing. Chasing in shorter formats was always difficult but if you look at the records in the recent past, it has improved a lot. He’s the prime reason why India have chased mammoth scores.
“The common factor is they understand their roles quite well. They may have different approaches but by their mental strengths we get similar results. In terms of mentally absorbing pressure, both are at the top,” he added.
Shami has been sidelined from cricket since the ODI World Cup due to an injury. As a result, he missed out on participating in the tour of South Africa and the subsequent Test series against England.
Mhambrey further said that Kohli’s work ethics have rubbed on the young cricketers in the Indian team.
“To be able to see the work put in by Virat day in and day out is an eye opener. You see youngsters talking to him and trying to learn from him. It gives everyone a fantastic insight into how he prepares.”
“I see a lot of younger people in the team taking out those minutes to have that conversation with him because those words of wisdom are fantastic.
“Unless you are not crazy or obsessed in any profession that you are, you can never be one of the greatest and that’s common with all sportspersons.”
Asked how to become GOAT — the greatest of all time — Mhambrey said: “I think you’re born with certain skills. Skills that Shami has cannot be replicated unless you have it… Same with (Jasprit) Bumrah. These are guys who are born with that skill.
“You become GOAT with the attitude that you have, the work that you put in, the vision that you had about yourself, the inspiration that you want to be. These combinations with other factors will make you a GOAT.”
(With PTI inputs)
During the ODI World Cup last year, Kohli demonstrated his batting prowess by amassing an impressive 765 runs at an astounding average of 95.62, securing the top spot on the batting charts.
On the other hand, Shami showcased his bowling prowess by claiming 24 wickets at a remarkable average of 10.70, topping the bowling charts. Their stellar performances played a crucial role in India’s journey to the runner-up finish in the tournament.
Despite their differences in personality, Kohli and Shami’s mental resilience and ability to thrive under pressure have been instrumental in India’s achievements on the cricketing stage. Their contributions highlight the importance of mental strength in the highly competitive world of international cricket, showcasing their invaluable leadership and talent within the team.
“Both are different personalities altogether, but in terms of mental strength, both are up there,” Mhambrey said at the launch of book ‘G.O.A.T.S Must Be Crazy’ authored by management professional Vishnu Govind at the International Institute of Sports and Management in Mumbai.
“Virat is purely aggressive, on the face all the time. Shami is complete in contrast, never on his own. You will see a lot more bowlers being pumped out in celebration after taking a wicket but Shami will do the usual ‘hello’ kind of stuff.
“Shami appears to be laid back, but he understands his game in and out. He knows what’s expected of him. I’ve worked a lot with Shami in the recent past. He’s completely different in terms of training and he will do something that suits him. He knows what works for him and knows his body inside out,” he said.
Talking about Kohli, Mhambrey said: “Virat is one of the best at chasing. Chasing in shorter formats was always difficult but if you look at the records in the recent past, it has improved a lot. He’s the prime reason why India have chased mammoth scores.
“The common factor is they understand their roles quite well. They may have different approaches but by their mental strengths we get similar results. In terms of mentally absorbing pressure, both are at the top,” he added.
Shami has been sidelined from cricket since the ODI World Cup due to an injury. As a result, he missed out on participating in the tour of South Africa and the subsequent Test series against England.
Mhambrey further said that Kohli’s work ethics have rubbed on the young cricketers in the Indian team.
“To be able to see the work put in by Virat day in and day out is an eye opener. You see youngsters talking to him and trying to learn from him. It gives everyone a fantastic insight into how he prepares.”
“I see a lot of younger people in the team taking out those minutes to have that conversation with him because those words of wisdom are fantastic.
“Unless you are not crazy or obsessed in any profession that you are, you can never be one of the greatest and that’s common with all sportspersons.”
Asked how to become GOAT — the greatest of all time — Mhambrey said: “I think you’re born with certain skills. Skills that Shami has cannot be replicated unless you have it… Same with (Jasprit) Bumrah. These are guys who are born with that skill.
“You become GOAT with the attitude that you have, the work that you put in, the vision that you had about yourself, the inspiration that you want to be. These combinations with other factors will make you a GOAT.”
(With PTI inputs)