IPL 2020 – Nitish Rana aims to sustain mental strength lessons from Mike Horn

Nitish Rana remembers April 19, 2019, very clearly. It was the Indian Premier League clash at the Eden Gardens which involved Kolkata Knight Riders’ against Royal Challengers Bangalore. KKR were blown away by Virat Kohli’s magnificent century and a blazing 28-ball 66 by Moeen Ali as Royal Challengers Bangalore notched up 213/4. In 2017, at the same venue, they were bundled out then for the lowest IPL score of 49. In the chase, Kolkata Knight Riders were reduced to 79/4 in the 12th over, with Nitish Rana struggling on 15 from 15 balls.

But, the game was not done. Andre Russell, who had smashed 48 off 16 balls to help Kolkata Knight Riders win the ‘unwinnable’ in the clash at the M Chinnaswamy stadium, almost did a second Houdini act. What followed was an exhibition of hitting from both. Rana smashed two boundaries off Yuzvendra Chahal but it was Russell who started the onslaught with three sixes of the legspinner.

Rana followed it up with four and two sixes off Navdeep Saini while Russell raced to his fifty with a four and six off Mohammad Siraj. Rana continued to blossom as he smashed two sixes and a four off Dale Steyn but Russell was batting like a man possessed as he smashed three sixes off Marcus Stoinis. However, it was a bridge too far and Kolkata Knight Riders lost the game by 10 runs.

Rana ended up unbeaten on 85 off 46 balls. However, in that entire match, he had learnt to be mentally strong and to have belief. The belief was given to him by an adventurer who had made impossible look possible. The advice could have rubbed off on Russell, but it was Rana who soaked it up.

Speaking in the press conference from Abu Dhabi, Rana said that the words of Mike Horn, the adventurer and motivational coach who is famous for completing a one-year, 6-month solo journey around the equator without any motorised transport and for completing a two-year, 3-month solo circumnavigation of the Arctic Circle, has made him mentally strong and he hopes to incorporate that in IPL 2020.

“I have never seen anybody like Mike Horn. You may feel that a lot of things are impossible but when you listen to him, he has done those impossible things thousands of times. I try to take it upon myself to be in that situation and come out stronger. If there is a tense match situation and if I doubt myself, then I think about his talks and eliminate the doubts. I feel when a strong person can do big things easily, then what is this situation. It is just 50 off 40 balls or getting a fifty off 20 balls. In those situations, I think of that and it has helped me,” Rana said.

Adjusting to the heat

Kolkata Knight Riders have set up base in Abu Dhabi ever since the end of August and they have been toiling hard to ensure they remain match fit. Rana, though, admitted that it was difficult to cope with the heat but not because it was different as compared to India.

“In the first 3-4 days, it was becoming difficult to adjust. Because in the six months, we were at home due to the coronavirus lockdown and we had lost the habit of going out in the heat and practising for hours. In the initial days, it was difficult.,” Rana said.

When asked about the bio-bubble scenario, he admitted it was different but revealed it actually began in March itself but he is now glad that some cricket is being played.

“The bio-bubble might have begun now, but for me, it began six months ago during the coronavirus lockdown. We were in our homes. It was challenging to go out. Initially, I was scared to go out. It was for my family that I got scared. In the start, it was weird. I was wondering ‘why can’t I go down? Why can’t I have a cup of coffee in a coffee shop? Why can’t we go to a pool?’ We have gotten used to it. I am very happy that there is some cricket,” Rana said.

Kolkata Knight Riders will open their IPL 2020 campaign against the Mumbai Indians in Abu Dhabi on September 23.