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England’s Zak Crawley Draws Inspiration from Snooker Legend Ronnie O’Sullivan for India Series – Embracing a Strong Mindset
Zak Crawley has disclosed that he’s drawing inspiration from snooker legend Ronnie O’Sullivan in preparation for England’s Test series against India. The opening batsman, set to partner with Ben Duckett, will step onto the field for the first of five matches in Hyderabad this Thursday, airing live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
Despite facing criticism for his international form, with his initial 34 Tests yielding only 1724 runs, the 25-year old now feels more secure in his position in the England lineup. This assurance follows a remarkable performance in the Ashes series last summer, where he scored 480 runs with an average of 53.33.
Crawley attributes his regained form to channeling his inner O’Sullivan, emphasizing the snooker star’s approach of prioritizing the way he plays over the ultimate result. Crawley finds O’Sullivan’s mindset powerful and believes that adopting it has positively impacted his performance.
Expressing admiration for O’Sullivan, Crawley stated, “I love the way Ronnie plays and talks about sport. To him, the way he plays is more important than the result. That’s such a powerful mindset. It’s a hard one to get into, but whenever you get into that mindset, you find yourself playing better.”
Previously labeled as a potentially inconsistent cricketer by his head coach Brendon McCullum, Crawley has embraced an aggressive approach against opposition bowlers to further enhance his game.
The approach appears to have benefited the Kent batsman as he enters the Test series in India following a successful stint with the Perth Scorchers in Australia’s Big Bash T20 competition.
O’Sullivan, on the other hand, has had an impressive 2023-24 season, recently staging a remarkable comeback to defeat Judd Trump and claim the World Grand Prix title. Despite his success, the seven-time world champion has expressed dissatisfaction with his own performance, acknowledging the need for a break from the game. He has also emphasized his preference for playing well and losing rather than winning poorly.
Crawley appreciates this mindset, citing his coach Baz McCullum’s emphasis on the importance of playing style for long-term success. McCullum’s positive and optimistic approach resonates with Crawley, who acknowledges the coach’s ability to choose the right moments to address the team. He describes McCullum as having an aura and being an optimist, qualities he believes are crucial in English sports, where pessimism can sometimes prevail.
As for watching the India vs. England Test series on TNT Sports, it is highlighted that TNT Sports is now the official broadcast home for England men’s tours of India in 2024, 2025, and 2028. The agreement also includes exclusive live coverage of all red-ball and white-ball international series played in India over the next five years. Viewers in the UK can access TNT Sports through the streaming platform discovery+, which offers a subscription including TNT Sports, Eurosport, and entertainment content. Additionally, TNT Sports can be watched through BT, EE, Sky, and Virgin Media.
