‘It’s like riding a bike’ – Graeme Smith reckons COVID-19 break won’t impact cricketers

Graeme Smith, the former South Africa cricketer, feels that the break due to the coronavirus pandemic won’t affect cricketers much. Back on July 8, international cricket made it’s return with the opening Test between England and the West Indies at the Rose Bowl in Southampton. The game turned out to be a closely-fought one and it marked the grand return of cricket.

The 39-year-old compared playing cricket equivalent to riding a bike, saying that “muscle memory doesn’t disappear”. Smith strongly believes that one could avoid being rusty if one trains the mind in a certain way.

I’m just going to do it: Graeme Smith

“It’s all in the head, once you get to the top of professional cricket and international cricket as well, you are brilliant in what you do, you are very good, your body knows exactly what it is doing. It all in your head, no matter how much time these guys have off, muscle memory does not disappear,” Smith told on Star Sports’ show Cricket Connected.

“It’s like riding a bike, you still remember how to do it. So, the guys who convince themselves early on, doesn’t matter about rhythm, doesn’t matter about this doesn’t matter about that, how long you have been off, I’m just going to do it, I am going to remember the feeling,” he stated.

Smith also opined on how a spinner should approach the game in the COVID-19 era. Smith said that there won’t be many changes in conditions and the spinners have to make sure that the ball feels same in their hands.

“For a spinner, just flicking the ball on your fingers at home, that’s enough for me, just make sure the ball still feels the same in your hands,” he added.

Currently, the Brits and the Caribbeans, led by Jason Holder, are playing the second Test at the Old Trafford in Manchester. After the close of play on the second day, the hosts are leading by 437 runs courtesy centuries from Dominic Sibley and Ben Stokes.

For the West Indies, Roston Chase picked up five wickets. After the tour of the Caribbeans, Pakistan are scheduled to play three Tests and as many T20Is against the Three Lions.