Lockdown effect: Junior badminton coach says feel like a counsellor dealing with frustrated players

Confined to their homes without access to courts due to the lockdown, India's young shuttlers are an "irritated" and "frustrated" lot, says chief junior national coach Sanjay Mishra, who feels more like a counsellor these days.

The national lockdown to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, which has so far killed nearly 2000 people and infected more than 59,000 in India, is in place till May 17.

"It has been nearly two months, the young players have been staying at home and now they are getting irritated and frustrated by the sheer mention of the word lockdown," Mishra, who took up the position in 2017, told PTI during an interaction.

"I keep telling them it is happening to the whole world not to you in particular and ask them to focus on boosting their mental toughness."
"I have asked them to learn to control this irritation, these negative feelings, which also crop up in crucial moments and affect their performance. I tell them that dealing with this will also help in match situations."
"So I have asked them to create a space which is equal to at least half a court and practice their movements."
So when does he see badminton resuming?