Never on the Backfoot is proud to collaborate with Sahen Gupta, a Sport & Performance Psychologist and Founder of Discovery Sport & Performance Labs. He is currently on an assignment with the Scotland U19 National Cricket Team in the upcoming for the ICC 2021-22 U19 World Cup and has worked with various Premier League Clubs in the UK and Team GB Tennis to name a few.

Part 1 is all about the mental aspect of players during the pandemic. It witnesses us largely talking about his early roots, his inclination to Sports Psychology, his newest venture Discovery Sports Lab, his understanding of the Psychology of Cricket, mental resistance, famous quotes by Aussies on the ‘strength of the mind’, the mindset of players in high-pressure matches, the role of superstitions and jersey numbers, the role of a sports psychologist on tours and the burnout factor in bio bubbles.

These are some very interesting topics considering how we always focus on the external part of sport but never really pay attention to what is happening behind the scenes and even between the ears (the mind basically) and the mental aspect of sportspersons. The mental side of cricket is what distinguishes the best players from the others. The episode is now streaming on Spotify, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Overcast and a lot of other platforms. See you in Part 2.