Whenever I feel I am getting distracted or I am wavering in my discipline, I go and read articles & re- watch Sachin Tendulkar's marathon innings of 241from 436 balls against Australia at Sydney in 2003-04!

His greatest, in my mind!

(1/n)

A thread https://www.cricketcountry.com/articles/sachin-tendulkars-241-at-sydney-cricket-ground-a-near-spiritual-experience-21694

He was going through a bad patch of form

When you are out of form, you get distracted the most

He said later he was getting out to balls outside offstump

So he batted for 10 hours without playing a single cover drive & left all the balls outside his offstump

10 hours!!

(2/n)

Please remember, at the other end was V V S Laxman who scored 178 in just 298 balls.

So easy to loose your discipline & try to emulate him and go for shots!

That did not happen! No cover drive even after crossing 100 and non after the double hundred too!

#concentration

(3/n)

Covid19 has been such a situation for me!

The helplessness around you can easily get to you & it did to me too

I realised that I too was getting out not only to balls outside the offstump, but to balls from all sides

I started Counting my disciplinary deviations too

(4/n)

So I read up the innings once again!

Looked at one of my favourite photographs

Took fresh guard. Now, I am not playing a cover drive at all & l am leaving all balls outside offstump

I am only improving my defence each day!

Runs will come, I know

(n/n)

#Inspiration