Paddy Upton To Join Team India as Mental Health Conditioning Coach

Like the other sports played internationally, cricket also demands the players' well-being to prepare themselves to face the mental challenges and the highs and lows of the game.

The Men in Blue have been playing cricket for the past few months, and they have a hectic cricket season ahead with several key events lined up for the next few months as well. 

Hence, to ensure the players engaging in regular fixtures are doing well mentally and are in a stable state of mind, the former South African cricketer Paddy Upton has been appointed as Team India's mental conditioning coach for the much-awaited T20 World Cup 2022.

As per reports published in Hindustan Times, Upton has joined Rahul Dravid's coaching staff on the ongoing series against West Indies, and he will stay with the team India till the 2022 T20 World Cup as the mental conditioning coach. 

"Paddy will be joining the team in West Indies as a mental conditioning coach and will be there till the T20 World Cup," a BCCI official said on the condition of anonymity. 

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Paddy Upton enjoys a strong rapport with head coach Rahul Dravid

Upton was a part of Gary Kirsten's support staff when Team India won the 50-over World Cup in 2011 under the leadership of MS Dhoni. He joined the side after Kirsten was appointed as head coach in 2008 and enjoyed the stint for the next three years. 

Team India's current head coach, Rahul Dravid and Upton have also worked with each other earlier and share a strong bond. 

While Upton was with the team India during Dravid's playing days, both of them have worked together as support staff for Rajasthan Royals and Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) in the Indian Premier League.

Upton last supervised Rajasthan Royals in the latest edition of the IPL 2022 as the 'team catalyst'.  

Back in the 2003 World Cup, the Indian Cricket Board appointed psychologist Sandy Gordon as the mental conditioning coach and the trend was followed for the 2007 World Cup as well, with Rudi Webster donning the role.