‘Eat, sleep, and bowl’: How simplifying his cricket helped Avesh Khan execute better in IPL 2024

‘Eat, sleep and bowl’ – has been the mantra for Avesh Khan.

And, by his own admission, it has not only helped him stay focused, but has also improved his game. Around this time last year, Avesh – who was with Lucknow Super Giants then – looked radarless, having had a torrid Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 season, where he claimed just eight wickets in nine games.

While he looked tired, Avesh often found it difficult to make the right call. He, of course, was nowhere close to his performances off 2022 – 18 wickets in 13 outings – or that of 2021, where he claimed 24 wickets for Delhi Capitals.

As he analysed his season, Avesh realised that he wasn’t fresh enough to get the best out of his body.

“When I played for LSG last year, I played 10 Ranji Trophy matches before that, where I bowled something like 320 overs. So, the body was not able to respond so well. I was putting in a lot of effort, but it wasn’t happening. One could say that there are four overs to be bowled in IPL and it’s just a 20-over game, but it takes a lot of effort. And the body doesn’t respond when you are mentally and physically fatigued,” Avesh said on Wednesday, after guiding his new team Rajasthan Royals to the second qualifier.

Having been traded to Royals ahead of this season, Avesh found his mojo back as he worked closely with the franchise’s support staff, especially bowling coach Shane Bond, and made sure he was in the right frame of mind. And, that has worked well for him as Avesh has so far claimed 16 wickets in 15 games.

He looks fresh and more confident now, but that wasn’t the case last year.

“When I analysed my IPL, I did a technical change in my action with my coach Anand Rajan and then played Deodhar Trophy, Duleep Trophy and made a comeback to the Indian team. It helped me understand how much effort to put in practice, when to take rest, when to recover the body. I understood my body better,” said Avesh.

Also read | RR vs RCB: Nervy Rajasthan Royals edges past Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Simplifying the whole process helped him immensely.

“I have simplified my cricket — I have to sleep (well), I have to eat (well) and I have to bowl (well) and there is nothing else to it,” he said.

“The more you would think… cricket is like a circle, the smaller you keep it, the better it will be. You expand this circle more and you will find (more and more) gaps…”

“This has changed my life too and also impacted my cricket,” he added.

Now, he wakes up at 2 o’clock in the afternoon on match days and just hits the ground, without thinking too much about the results or the what ifs. “I get up only at 2:00pm on match days so there is no time to think that much,” he said with a smile, adding: “You can do whatever you can to build mental toughness but until you are not in a position to have faced the challenges repeatedly, you cannot overcome them. I acknowledge all that, but when (as a batter) you need 10-12 runs in an over, you forget everything and focus on execution,” he added.

Ahead of the eliminator against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Kumar Sangakkara had a long conversation with the Royals’ players and asked everyone to back their game. “The talk was simple — either we would win or go back home. We had to give it our all,” he said.

“We were top two till the last game of the (league stage) and we finished third. Sangakkara said whether we win or lose, there should not be any regrets,” Avesh added.

And the players listened to the director of cricket and ensured that Royals stayed alive in the race to the final. Ahmedabad done and dusted, it’s mission Chennai now for Avesh and the gang!