Squash star Ghosal understanding body mechanism amidst lockdown

If you told Saurav Ghosal he would be spending his entire mornings on the lawn at his home here doing physical exercises and engaging in a certified course on nutrition in the evening -- in between grabbing a siesta after lunch -- he would most certainly scoff at you under normal circumstances.

Ghosal, India's top male squash player, had his plate full with an eye on making it to the PSA World Tour Finals in Cairo, Egypt in the third week of June when he returned to the city from London last month. Ghosal was taking part in the Canary Wharf Classic where he lost in the quarterfinals to eventual champion Mohamed El Shorbagy.

It was business as usual in London but the panic button had already been pressed in India. Since then, COVID-19 reared its ugly head and brought the world to a standstill.

"In the beginning it was a bit of a shock. I don't know the last time when I did not play squash for a month unless like when I am really injured," Ghosal told IANS in an interview.

"And when you are injured, you do know when you can get back. Right now we don't even know that. So initially it was a shock to the system. But one of the reasons why we are top athletes is because we are mentally strong," said the 33-year old.

"That kind facet in your personality needs to come to the fore. To recognise the situation and find perspective which gives you a positive outlook of it and see what best you can make out of it," Ghosal opined.

In his final few sessions of a certified online nutrition course, Ghosal said although he is nowhere close to being a professional in this field, it has helped him gain more knowledge on what to eat.

"I do one physical session on the lawn in my building. That takes me upto lunch. Then I eat lunch, sleep and then I wake up and do the nutrition course which takes me an hour and 15 a day. So it's basically divided into 11 lectures, I have done eight lectures till now. I have three more lectures to get the certificate that comes out of it," he explained.

"I am not doing that to become a nutritionist but for my personal knowledge and how it can help me. If I can add anything to what I do as an athlete. Other than that I watch a few squash matches, Netflix, Hotstar and the usual stuff.

"I am not going to be a certified nutritionist but it's like part of a credit of the entire course. If I end up doing a nutrition course, which I doubt I will, then this certificate basically goes towards credit for that course," he added.

Ghosal would have been in Egypt now taking part in the El Gouna International Squash Open. It was followed by Manchester Open, British Open and Mauritius Open for the Indian ace.

"Depending on how I did in these events, I was 9-10 in World Series finals rankings...so if I could make it to the top eight I would have played the World Series finals in the third week of June. Now all gone out of the window," Ghosal said.

The reigning PSA World Champions and all Platinum event winners automatically qualify for the PSA World Tour Finals, which features a men's and women's event, both containing eight-player draws. Ghosal is currently ranked 13th.

Ghosal, though, is not bogged down and is hopeful he will come out of this isolation period a better human being.

"The positive out of it (lockdown) is it gives you time to stop, pause and think.

"We had not had time to ourselves for the last 15-20 years of my life. We keep complaining a lot of the times that we are living out of a suitcase. Now we are living out of our wardrobe.

"I don't remember the last time when I was in Kolkata for one month at a stretch since I was in school, or any city for that matter.

"You can get better as a human being and that helps in your sport. This situation is in no one's control.

"I don't know how anyone is going to be come out of this. Match sharpness will be an issue. Physical fitness won't be an issue as we are all working on it right now. I have to prepare the best way I can and hope for the best."