Robin Uthappa's new innings

He takes CS on his journey of self-discovery and cooking experiences. Excerpts..

Growing up years
In Coorg, most boys play some kind of sport. As a kid, I was also active on the sports scene. I played tennis for about six months as well as hockey and soccer. My parents encouraged me a lot, my dad was an international hockey referee. Cricket was a part of my life since my younger days, I remember playing at the district level.

Weighty woes
In the last 18-20 months, I have worked very hard on myself. I have changed my attitude and lost oodles of weight. In the beginning of 2012, I weighed about 95 kilos. I was clearly overweight. It wasn't just about knocking off the pounds but also the need to feel fit that I began to workout. I also decided to get strict with myself as far as my diet was concerned. I modified my diet, water intake and took multivitamins. It has been a huge challenge because I am a foodie and have a sweet tooth too. But now, I eat in moderation.u00a0The good thing that came out of this was that I have learnt to bake healthy foods. The last dish I baked was peanut butter cupcakes and some spinach lasagna. Cooking is theurapatic. I have now lost about 20 kilos.u00a0

Twisting the technique
I felt I was getting repetitive in my form and technique. I have played cricket naturally, never really looked at aspects that needed improvement. However, in the last one and a half year I am fixing those parts. There is a lot of unlearning which I am doing. I have also broken a few of physical and mental barriers. Being in the present moment is the toughest for a cricketer, I can now say that I am trying to enjoy every moment of my time on the field. Earlier I would pre-mediate which has ruined many games.u00a0I feel like a brand new cricketer today. I don't like getting out even when I am practising in the nets these days because I want to spend more time on the field. I have been a responsible spokesperson but now I want to be able to hold that responsibility for a longer time. It also helps once we start believing in our abilities. Faith in oneself is the key to success.u00a0

Life beyond cricket
There is more to life than cricket. After retiring from cricket, I want to work for the upliftment of under-privileged children and people suffering from AIDS. I want to make a difference to someone's life.