Ahmedabad: PM Modi warmly greeted and comforted the visibly disheartened Indian players after the World Cup final. His ‘pep talk’ lifted the morale of the players in the dressing room ‘Hota hai’ (it happens) PM Modi holding Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s hands ‘Keep smiling, the country is looking up to you’ PM engaged in discussions with head coach Rahul Dravid.
Lady Luck doesn’t favour all people all the time. Despite hard work and efforts, people still fail, sometimes miserably. While some deal with it and come out stronger, others need pep talk to boost their spirits and overcome their failures. The Men in Blue are no exception. A billion hearts broke when the Aussies took the World Cup away from India, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s motivating
words lifted the spirits of Rohit Sharma’s boys. They were dejected and depressed, but after the PM’s encouragement, they vowed to sharpen their skill sets, focus more, strategise well and be back in business. Even in the worst of times, pep talk has helped people improve self-esteem, manage their stress levels and improve their skills. All of us need a pep talk once in a while, don’t we?
Powerful Message
“Aap log pura das das game jeetkar aaye ho, ye to hota rehta hai’ (You have come to the final after winning 10 games, these things happen. It’s all part and parcel of the game),” said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and added, “Muskruraiye bhai, jaisa aap logo ko dekhte aaye hain (Smile please! That’s how we have been seeing you).” The Team India’s disappointment was palpable, but PM Modi’s visit to the dressing room after the final match brought motivation. Spinner Ravindra Jadeja took to social media to thank the people for their support, and highlighted the Prime Minister’s visit as something that lifted the team’s morale. Similarly, Mohammad Shami, the tournament’s leading wicket-taker, thanked Mr Modi for visiting the dressing room and boosting the team’s spirits.
The Winner Doesn't Take It All
Winning is the aim of sports, but only one team can win and it doesn’t take anything away from the second greatest squad. “However entertaining sports may be, high-intensity moments are emotionally taxing for the players and the crowd. The burden of an entire nation’s hopes rested on just 11 people within an area of 22 yards at Ahmedabad on Sunday — and when the story of the Men in Blue did not have a happy ending on that occasion, the morale of every player was affected,” says Dr. Priyanka Sarkar, sport psy- chologist, athlete and wellbeing enthusiast.
She adds, “Their tear-streaked faces mirrored disappointment. But when the Prime Minister of the country walked into the dressing room to console the players, it was the signal that the entire nation understands their pain and is with them,” she says and adds, “After the PM’s talk, they became not 11 players who had lost but 11 players who showed perseverance and have the moral support of 1.486 billion people. To have that massive sup- port from public figures and the crowd instils hope in the players and the feeling that they are still loved, cherished and recognised for their hard work and efforts.”
Comeback Pill
It’s important to note that the dressing room is not a place to trade blame. “The World Cup may be over, but the team has to wake up another day for practise and show up yet again to play matches. That is hard when they are haunted by memories. But pep talk instils confidence and hope in the team, and they begin to feel that they must have done some things right, to recognised and appreciated. As Mohammed Shami put it, the PM’s gesture raised their spirits and they will certainly be back,” says Priyanka. Modi harnessed the power of words to rejuvenate a physically and emotionally-drained team. “It’s fantastic that the PM spoke with them. Team India was unblemished till the last match. We just need a little more edge, a sharper killer instinct, and greater attentiveness in big games like the semi-finals or finals. Allow them to reflect on what could have been done better, take a deep breath, and remember that the greatest victory sometimes comes after the greatest disappointment,” says Rajesh Talwar, the author of The Mantra and Meaning of Success.
