It would be cliched to say that Mandeep Singh’s journey and subsequent association with the Cricket Afghanistan establishment is a tale of courage and passion. Well it always is. But actually, if you dwell closely into the harmless tale of following one’s gut feel and instincts, you’d realise it’s more. So much more.
As simple in his conduct as he is relentless as a professional, Mandeep Singh’s rise with the Afghanistan cricket establishment is a perfect blend of talent and the willingness to work with an utterly sincere cricket team.
Afghanistan as a cricketing unit are nothing but a pure force in motion. There’s never a day- if you think about it- when they don’t combine a lot of heart to their skill. They play cricket “Dil Se” as we say in India or in the colloquial terms. But that doesn’t mean that their bowling or batting doesn’t include the perfectly well-thought-out strategy.
But you’d be absolutely wrong to say that when an Afghanistan cricket team plays on the ground, it’s just the eleven who form part of the action.
There’s this forever hopeful lot of collective talents- some gifted in their medical training and others well-versed with nutritional know-how who form as much a part of the famed Afghan bandwagon as some of their talented players who change the complexion of a cricketing contest.
Afghanistan cricket carries unbridled passion, leaving nothing to chance, existing in cricket as if their lives depended on it and to think of it, it does to a reasonably good extent.
Mandeep Singh, head physio (NCA), a loving and sincere and most importantly, well-meaning man is no different. His approach to every contest his men’s cricket unit plays is no different to the strategy adopted by his cricketing peers.
It’s about giving everything to the team. There’s nothing left for the self.
Here is the tale of a wise and mature and most importantly, caring man who loves cricket.
How did your association with Afghanistan Cricket team start and when did it begin?
So my association with cricket started in quite the manner that’s true for most budding or aspiring names in the game. In India, we are always crazy about the game. I was truly besotted with the game and besides being an active cricketer in my young days during my school and college years, I was also quite intrigued about other sports like Badminton. I used to play professionally. But things changed and actually took a dramatic turn of events when I got associated with sports as a medical professional.
I thought there could not have been a better way in which to marry my actual specialisation and the love for sports. I always wanted to stay connected to the sporting field. When I finished my BPT, post that I was very keen to get associated with cricket. Soon after which I got an opportunity from JKCA, affiliated with the BCCI.
Then came the most notable breakthrough at that phase of my career when in 2014, I got my first assignment as a medical practitioner in domestic cricket in India when I was approached by the Coach Bihar trophy. During this event’s Under-19 tournament, I got a first real chance to cut my teeth as a medical practitioner concerned with the great game of cricket.
What interested you about the game Mandeep Singh ji?
What interested me about the game is the sheer passion with which cricket is played. Secondly, Cricket as a sport is never devoid of any excitement. What’s rather interesting, at least, from my point of view is that, at the very same instance of there being a live cricket match, there’s that team which is playing live on the 22 yards but a little away inside the green or dressing room, we the concerning staff of that team are as much glued to the sport as the actual professionals on ground.
What’ll will happen next, what’s the course to follow… all of these ensure that cricket is truly an adrenaline-pumping sport. And that to me is a real high. The connection with the game.
What’s the most challenging part of your professional assignment? What are the kind of stresses involved with this job?
The most challenging part of the game as head physio (NCA) is that the moment there is a rise or ascendency in the level of competition in the game of cricket, the more one is in close proximity to the challenges. The biggest of them all being to ensure that our player- could be anyone who’s been injured or during the course of a game has received a blow- returns safely to the ground. To continue his participation in that very active cricket contest. And we need to ensure that no extra time is ever wasted, because as it is, the player is needed both by his national side and then by the subsequent leagues that follow.
Any nation that wants to win a game of cricket will want to ensure that each of its best or most desired or talented men take to the field. So fitness, maintenance of adequate match-fit standards of fitness are such a key, ultimately. Also because in today’s times, there’s so much of cricket, one can’t possibly evade injuries.
But once that happens, our biggest goal is to ensure that the player returns after a period of recovery to the ground where he belongs so that he can shoulder the responsibility of his side and franchise.
That happens to be the biggest challenge.
Stresses, actually, are part of every game of cricket. But truth be told, while there are replacements in the times of injuries in league cricket, things become more pressing matters when it comes to the cause of national representation. As the latter, is a different ball game altogether.
But beyond a point, I also make it a point not to be too consumed by stress as it’s never any good!
What’s the most inspiring part of your professional occupation Mr. Mandeep Singh?
The most inspirational part of my job with cricket is that somewhere we are involved in having an impact with the psyche of the player. As the head physio (NCA), I am entrusted with the added responsibility of motivating and encouraging our cricketers. To remind them of their genuine natural talents and to push them to perform to the best of their ability.
Apart from injury management, we are also concerned in strengthening their productivity as well as bio-mechanically correcting their postures. My job, truth be told, extends beyond the grind of the dressing room and far reaches the performance of the athlete as you see him or them on-ground.
Whenever a physio is entrusted with the task of reporting back the actual recovery or current state of fitness of an athlete, this sort of brings about another challenge. An accurate and on point description of the player’s fitness and current state of well-being is extremely crucial to not only the chances of that particular individual but far extends into the scope of his team.
Correct reporting, backed by accurate analysis with timeliness on play is what makes my current job every bit encouraging as it is challenging.
How did you come to associate yourself with the Afghanistan team? And what have been some of the most interesting moments with this outfit?
Few years ago, the Cricket Board of Afghanistan had actually posted a vacancy on their website. To which I responded to my best possible capability. I was looking forward to working in the capacity of a head physio of an international cricketing outfit, none of which was ever going to be any easy. As a matter of factly, for this particular post itself, no fewer than 50-60 candidates had submitted their candidature for consideration. Then there were a couple of rounds of interviews and interactions, post which I was appointed as the head physio of the revered Afghanistan men’s cricket team. I was working closely with the National Cricket Academy of Afghanistan cricket, which is located in Kabul.
So from 2023 until the present day, I am also committed to that body.
It took me a couple of months, not more, to get truly acclimatised to Afghan culture. They are a loving and committed bunch. At this point, it could be said that Afghanistan cricket has been on a roll having won each of the seven previous cricketing assignments, including Test series and white ball series victories.
Being from J&K in India, it didn’t really take a lot out of me to get used to their culture. They are simple and honest and truly like to work very hard.
Besides, there are a lot of interesting moments having been associated with this outfit- in the recent T20 World Cup and then the 50-over World Cup, Afghanistan cricket played boldly and bravely and seeing the live action was special.
But the moment that tops them all is in the recent Emerging Asia Cup, I was the team’s head physio (NCA). This was held in the Middle East. Now to have been closely associated with a winning outcome in the end was a feeling far exhilarating and special to whatever I have felt thus far. This was in Oman. That win was really special. Winning the Emerging Asia Cup was truly a feeling that won’t be forgotten anytime soon.
What is the sort of immediate support staff that you have at your disposal when looking after the Afghanistan men’s team?
Our CEO, Naseeb Khan and the Chairman, Mir Ashraf ji and then there’s another special name, that of Mr. Wali, who happens to be the managing director of HPC, whose task is to look after all SNC’s and Physio’s and even coaches. The latter is a gentleman whose name often eschews attention or highlight. But I can tell you that this troika is the backbone of what you see as the Afghanistan Cricket team unit.
Their relentless drive has ensured that our cricket has pushed forward and as one says, it’s always onwards and upwards from there. Without their support, I very much doubt where our cricket team would’ve been. Neither of these great men have any egos, and most importantly, they are forever open to ideas and willing to hear everyone’s input.
Whether it’s Gulbadin or Rashid or any other talent on the playing eleven, their bonding and brotherhood is truly special. I guess this glue that makes everyone stick together as a thick unit.
At the end of the day the Afghanistan cricket team excels on the collective faith and talent and bonding of each of its staff, whether those who play on the pitch or those who form the much-needed vital support system at the backend.
- special thanks to leading Indian commentator Suhaas Vedham for giving Caught At Point an opportunity to connect with Mr. Mandeep Singh. It was thanks to Suhaas’s keen eye on cracking stories that needed greater recognition that this journalistic endeavour has come to light.
