 "Gilbert Enoka (L) won two World Cups with the All Blacks and is known for his work on mental coaching. Image: AFP")
The England cricket team has stepped up the game with two more matches to go in the high-octane Test series against India. England lead 2-1 after three matches, but they are well aware that India have been the better side and after the on-field spats during the Lord’s Test, coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes have decided to add All Blacks mental skills coach Gilbert Enoka to the team.
Enoka, who won two World Cups in 2011 and 2015 with the All Blacks (New Zealand national rugby union team), is known for implementing a “no dickheads” policy during his time with the side. The New Zealander Enoka worked with the England cricket team for a few days at the start of the summer and will now rejoin them for the remaining two Tests against England and the upcoming Ashes against Australia.
England ramp up mental game vs India
As per reports, Enoka has been brought in by England coach McCullum, who has worked with Enoka earlier in New Zealand cricket. He has been called in to “toughen up” England during the crucial phase of the Test series against India.
The on-field spat between Zak Crawley and Team India on Day 3 of the Lord’s Test has changed the complexion of the Test series, with players looking more eager to get under the skin of their opponents. Mohammed Siraj and Ben Duckett also collided into each other after the latter’s dismissal on Day 4, while England pacer Jofra Archer was also seen giving an aggressive send-off to Rishabh Pant on the final day of the game.
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England went on to win the Lord’s Test in dramatic fashion by 22 runs as they took a 2-1 lead in the series, but it would have provided the team management enough indication that they need to sharpen up mentally for the upcoming challenges.
What is Enoka’s “no dickheads” policy?
Enoka has a history of working with some elite teams, including the Chelsea Football Club. He is popular for founding a “no dickheads” policy, according to which self-serving and counterproductive behaviours need to be eliminated from the members of a team.
Enoka describes a ‘dickhead’ as someone “who puts themselves ahead of the team, people who think they’re entitled to things, expect the rules to be different for them, people operating deceitfully in the dark, or being unnecessarily loud about their work.”
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He added: “The management might not spot these counterproductive behaviours. The players and leaders themselves should call others out for their inflated egos. Often, teams put up with it because a player has so much talent. We look for early warning signs and wean the big egos out pretty quickly. Our motto is: ‘If you can’t change the people, change the people.’”