Broad visits psychologist as prep for no-fans Test
Stuart Broad has revealed he has consulted a sportpsychologist to prepare himself for playing Test cricket in front of empty seats.
England will begin their rearranged three-match #Raisethebat series against the West Indies at the Ageas Bowl on 8 July.
The coronavirus pandemic not only led to postponed fixtures but means, now they are preparing to return, matches will be played with no supporters inside the grounds.
As a player who relishes the heat of battle, Broad feels he needs to be mentally ready to be bowling at the West Indian batting line-up with no crowd behind him.
“The games will feel a bit different with no crowds but I think cricket is in a slightly different position to sports like football and rugby,” he said.
“Our domestic game is red ball cricket, a lot of the time we play in front of smaller crowds, so we are not relying on the atmosphere or the crowds to drive us forward.
“International cricket certainly will be more of a mental test to make sure each player is right up for the battle.
“I’m very aware of that, I’ve already spoken to our sport psychologist about creating a mindset around making sure I can get my emotions up to where they need to be for me to perform at my best.
“I have got to make sure my emotions are where they need to be for an international Test match and that is something I started working on in early June.”
Broadwantstomakesure he is in the right frame of mind so he can hit the ground running in Southampton next month.
“It is almost like creating a bubble around yourself as an individual and finding what little things give you that competitive edge,” he said.