Kuldeep Yadav’s poor form has been one of the reasons why Delhi Capitals haven’t fared too well in this IPL. The left-arm wrist spinner, with only seven wickets from 11 matches, has an economy rate of 10.66 in the ongoing edition.
However, the Capitals seem to be right behind Kuldeep and their other all-format players to try and protect them from mental burnout.
“No doubt, there’s a lot of cricket happening now, especially if you play all three formats. We’re very conscious as a (support) staff, and I’m sure other teams are as well, of how we balance the off time along with training.
“It’s difficult to speak specifically for Kuldeep, but I think the balance to be able to look after players and make sure they have enough time to recharge their batteries and get away from the game is important. You need to be able to switch off from cricket so that when you come into training, you can go full tilt as well,” Capitals’ assistant coach and former England batter Ian Bell said on Saturday.
The players’ mental well-being off the field is equally important, Bell added. “The best players do have that balance between switching off from cricket and then training at 100 miles an hour when they’re on. But it’s something in world cricket we’ve got to manage, especially for players who play all three formats, to make sure their well-being off the field is taken care of and they get the support they need,” he stressed.
