Top-up your skills to be fit for all format: Aakash Chopra

NAGPUR: In his recent chat with Wasim Jaffer, Aakash Chopra discussed how labelling certain players fit for a specific format is unfair.
Jaffer had a List A average of 44.08 and 10 hundreds-including a couple of 170s-in List A format. With a List A average of 44.72 and 7 hundreds, Chopra was more than capable of playing all formats. While the former could play just 2 ODIs, the latter didn't play ODIs.
Vidarbha wicketkeeper batsman Akshay Wadkar too has been labelled a four-day format player despite playing a couple of match-winning knocks for Vidarbha in the List 'A' format in his short career.He has the ability to play all the three formats. The two former Indian openers discussed how players should keep on working their skills in every format.

During one of the Q&A sessions with Chopra, Wadkar asked, "Should a player give more importance to white ball formats to climb the next step?"
Despite being a consistent run-getter in the domestic circuit since the last three seasons, Wadkar is yet to break into the India 'A' set up.
"You should give importance to skills. Once you have the skills, you always decide what you want to do with the skills. Keep topping up skills. Look at Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul. They are making smaller tweaks to their cricket and fitting the moulds. You will need to be mentally prepared for all formats and work harder," said Chopra during an online guidance session with Nagpur Cricket Academy (NCA) players.
The player-turned-commentator had enough words of wisdom for players like Akshay Kolhar, Atharva Taide, Rushabh Rathod, Yash Rathod, Mohd. Faiz and Manish Ahuja during the session. The unique initiative by NCA is one of the steps taken by local clubs during this lockdown.
When Vidarbha Ranji opener Taide posed a tactical question to the former Delhi and Rajasthan opener on how one should read bowler's mind, the senior opener said. "As a batsman, I spent a lot of time with bowlers. Be friends with bowlers. Once you start talking to them, you understand how they think. It helps in knowing your own game. But, when dealing with an opponent, you need to be very observant and take cues. The more you practice, you'll get more cues," Chopra advised.
In an interesting query posed by Rathod on what matters more - skills or mental strength - at higher level, Chopra dissected the two points aptly to clear Rathod's mind.
"You need to be good at both. Suppose one is mentally strongest on the planet but does not possess any skill, nothing would work. In the end, the guys who make it big are the ones who are able to execute their sills under pressure," Chopra said.