Jolly Rovers Cricket Academy - Coimbatore

Hi everyone,

I am in the middle of reading the book “Finding the Gaps” written by Simon Taufel. When I was having a conversation with my coach Mr. Suresh Kumar, the topic went about the books he read, where he suggested that I read this particular book. He was sharing his experience of reading this book and the insights that were given by the great umpire Simon Taufel, especially the tragic shootout incident during the Pakistan - Srilanka test match in 2009. This intrigued me to read the book and now I am totally convinced that it is worth reading.

What is inside?

This book has 17 wonderful chapters where he speaks about his personal life experiences, his career, and standing as an umpire in the 2011 world cup final. His message at the end of each chapter will be a tool which can be used by everyone who aspires to achieve success in their life. The books about cricket till now were either written from a player's perspective like autobiographies or from a spectator's perspective, but this book is written from an umpire's perspective. I specifically loved the part where Simon talks about scenario-based planning and goes on to explain the six key areas involved in world-class preparation. His prime objective of talking about improving our lives turns out to be significantly fruitful.

Few excerpts from the book…

“Dance like no one is looking, make the most of the present, be grateful for what you have, don't be greedy or selfish, and enjoy the simple things in life, like a hug.”

“During my career, it was me who pushed the coach to help me. If it had to be, it was up to me. Being passionate and selfish with your training is vital to the coachability aspect as it shows you are prepared to put in the hard work and effort necessary to make progress”

“Don't try to be perfect, you’ll only disappoint yourself. Don't expect others to be perfect, they will only fall short of your expectations. Strive for excellence every day and celebrate little wins and achievements of progress along the way.”

“Humility also means you, as the leader, never put yourself above the game. The game owes you nothing, but you owe everything to the game. It's all about leaving the game in a better place.”

“How can we better handle the internal and external pressure that comes with the task? Firstly, we should embrace some pressure and accept that it is good and can help and deliver your best. Trying to shut all pressure out is like pretending you are invincible or the color black is actually white.”

What do legends say?

“I am sure readers, especially aspiring managers, sportsperson and those making a crucial career choice will benefit hugely and adopt certain aspects explained in this book in their day-to-day lives” - Sachin Tendulkar

“A roadmap for all of us to help unlock our full potential and make most of our talents” - Steve Waugh

So friends, never miss reading this book. I don't want to explain more about the book as the legends have already mentioned it. From my point of view, it is a must-read. If you are looking forward to a good non-fiction read, you should definitely pick this one!

You can buy this in any Higgin Botham store or online store. I have given the link below.

Thank you
Shaam Sundar
Jolly Rovers

To buy online: https://www.amazon.in/Finding-Gaps-Transferable-Skills-Best/dp/9389109256

2 Jolly Rovers crash into Tamilnadu team.

1) J. Koushik made a cut into Tamilnadu senior team for Vijay Hazare trophy which is scheduled from 24th September in Jaipur.

2) P. Nirmal kumar has been selected for Tamilnadu Under 19 one day team to play Vinoo Mankad trophy

On behalf of Jolly Rovers family, we wish them good luck for upcoming matches.