Vidarbha players need to be mentally strong: Karim

(pics courtesy Sakaal)

The Hitavada, Jan 21

Excited at his new job as a visiting batting and wicket-keeping coach at Vidarbha Cricket Association’s upcoming residential academy former Indian ’keeper Syed Saba Karim said that cricketers in Vidarbha need to be mentally strong.
"Cricketers here need to be mentally strong. They need to understand that they are no different from cricketers from Mumbai or Delhi," said Karim, while interacting with the media during his brief visit to the SJAN’s Inter-Press Cricket Tournament at Dr Ambedkar College, Deekshabhoomi.
"I have always loved this city because I have scored runs here most of the times. I am excited about my new job," he said.
Karim said there was lot of talent in the district but the facilities were not good.
"There are very few people like Prashant (Vaidya) who made it big from this part of the country. But that does not mean that there is no talent here. It’s just that the facilities are not up to the mark and there are no competitive matches played. I am confident we will be able to generate some world-class players. But it will take some time," Karim stated.
Talking about is role in the academy Karim said he would try to attach prime importance to mental conditioning of the players.
"Though it’s easier said than done this will be one of the things that will be thought in the academy," he said.
"Apart from physical and mental fitness, proper match stimulation like a match-like situation in practice session will be given importance" Karim said.
Prashant Vaidya, Director of the academy, endorsed that Karim’s job will be of mental conditioning of budding cricketers. "He’s quite good at it (mental conditioning). So, I am sure he will do well."
Others present on the occasion were head coach of the academy Neil D’Costa, former Indian pacer Subroto Banerjee and executive member Rajan Nair.