MS Dhoni suggested a fine of Rs 10,000 for the latecomers in Team India, reveals Paddy Upton

New Delhi, May 16: Team India's former mental conditioning coach Paddy Upton in his newly-released book has revealed that former India Test captain Anil Kumble and his successor Mahendra Singh Dhoni were always serious about punctuality and ensured that every member in the team adhered to the schedule.

In a bid to ensure the team members understood the value of time and stuck to the schedules for team meetings and training, so both Kumble and Dhoni suggested coach Gary Kirsten to fine latecomers.

Dhoni not wired as an emotional type: Upton

"When I joined the team, Anil Kumble was the captain of the Test team and MS Dhoni was the captain of the ODI team. We had a very self-governing process. So we said to the team 'is it important to be on time for the practice and team meetings?' Everyone said yes it is," Upton said during a media event in Kolkata.

"So we asked them if anyone is not on time is there anything one should give up? We discussed it amongst ourselves and the players, and eventually it was left to the captain to decide," he added.

Upton revealed that while Kumble concluded that every latecomer should be fined Rs 10,000, Dhoni suggested for an even bigger punishment. Upton claimed that Dhoni suggested the rest of the side would have to pay Rs 10000 each if a player was late.

"In the Test team, Anil Kumble said that the consequence would be a ten thousand rupees fine which the person who was late would have to pay. And then we had the same conversation with the one day team and there also MS (Dhoni) said that 'yes there should be a consequence. So if somebody is late, everybody will pay 10,000 rupees fine!' Nobody was ever late from the one day team again," Upton said.

In his book 'The Barefoot Coach', Upton discussed the myth of mental toughness of elite sportsperson and how they react to situations.

"I would go as far as to say, with greatest respect for MS (Dhoni) the man and the Cricketer, that it is not emotional control but the lack of access to emotions. MS is not wired as an emotional type. It's almost as if he doesn't have them; a performance enhancing gift from birth," Upton wrote in his book.