Latest news with #Enoka
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First Post
6 hours ago
- Sport
- First Post
England ramp up mind games vs India by hiring Gilbert Enoka, mental coach famous for ‘no d***heads policy'
England have rolled the dice by bringing in renowned mental coach Gilbert Enoka, known for his 'no d***heads policy'. It's an attempt to prepare the team for tough battles against India and Australia. read more Gilbert Enoka (L) won two World Cups with the All Blacks and is known for his work on mental coaching. Image: AFP The England cricket team has stepped up the game with two more matches to go in the high-octane Test series against India. England lead 2-1 after three matches, but they are well aware that India have been the better side and after the on-field spats during the Lord's Test, coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes have decided to add All Blacks mental skills coach Gilbert Enoka to the team. Enoka, who won two World Cups in 2011 and 2015 with the All Blacks (New Zealand national rugby union team), is known for implementing a 'no dickheads' policy during his time with the side. The New Zealander Enoka worked with the England cricket team for a few days at the start of the summer and will now rejoin them for the remaining two Tests against England and the upcoming Ashes against Australia. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD England ramp up mental game vs India As per reports, Enoka has been brought in by England coach McCullum, who has worked with Enoka earlier in New Zealand cricket. He has been called in to 'toughen up' England during the crucial phase of the Test series against India. The on-field spat between Zak Crawley and Team India on Day 3 of the Lord's Test has changed the complexion of the Test series, with players looking more eager to get under the skin of their opponents. Mohammed Siraj and Ben Duckett also collided into each other after the latter's dismissal on Day 4, while England pacer Jofra Archer was also seen giving an aggressive send-off to Rishabh Pant on the final day of the game. Also Read | Anjum Chopra Exclusive: 'Shubman is India's captain, let's be there to help him succeed' England went on to win the Lord's Test in dramatic fashion by 22 runs as they took a 2-1 lead in the series, but it would have provided the team management enough indication that they need to sharpen up mentally for the upcoming challenges. What is Enoka's 'no dickheads' policy? Enoka has a history of working with some elite teams, including the Chelsea Football Club. He is popular for founding a 'no dickheads' policy, according to which self-serving and counterproductive behaviours need to be eliminated from the members of a team. Enoka describes a 'dickhead' as someone 'who puts themselves ahead of the team, people who think they're entitled to things, expect the rules to be different for them, people operating deceitfully in the dark, or being unnecessarily loud about their work.' Also Read | Former India cricketer slams Shubman for mimicking ex-skipper Kohli's style in England He added: 'The management might not spot these counterproductive behaviours. The players and leaders themselves should call others out for their inflated egos. Often, teams put up with it because a player has so much talent. We look for early warning signs and wean the big egos out pretty quickly. Our motto is: 'If you can't change the people, change the people.'' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Time of India
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Time of India
IND vs ENG: England cricket team hires ‘no d***heads' guru Gilbert Enoka – here's what you need to know
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - JULY 21: Gilbert Enoka speaks to the England team during a net session at Emirates Old Trafford on July 21, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by) The England cricket team has hired former All Blacks mental skills coach Gilbert Enoka. He did some work with the England team at the start of the summer and will be with them for the next few days on a consultancy basis. Enoka has been brought in to toughen up an England squad amid a pivotal phase that includes a series against India followed by the all-important Ashes against Australia. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Enoka, a friend of McCullum's, has also worked with elite sides in several sports and nations, including a spell at Chelsea in 2023, and is famous for instigating a 'no dickheads' policy while helping the All Blacks to two World Cup wins in 2011 and 2015. He also worked as a mental skills coach with the New Zealand cricket team from 1998–2004 and the national netball team from 1994–1997. Harry Brook press conference: On why India are scared, on field fights at Lord's and more 'A dickhead makes everything about them,' he famously said in 2017. 'They are people who put themselves ahead of the team, people who think they're entitled to things, expect the rules to be different for them, people operating deceitfully in the dark, or being unnecessarily loud about their work. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Top 15 Most Beautiful Women in the World Undo Poll Do you think hiring Gilbert Enoka will improve the mental toughness of the England cricket team? Yes, it will make a significant difference. No, it won't have much impact. 'The management might not spot these counterproductive behaviours. The players and leaders themselves should call others out for their inflated egos. Often, teams put up with it because a player has so much talent. We look for early warning signs and wean the big egos out pretty quickly. Our motto is: 'If you can't change the people, change the people.'' England are leading the five-match series 2–1, and the fourth Test will be played at Old Trafford, starting July 23. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
The Hindu
7 hours ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
Meet Gilbert Enoka: The mental skills coach hired by England for the India Test series
Who is Gilbert Enoka and what is his background in sports? Gilbert Enoka is a renowned mental skills coach from New Zealand, famous for implementing a 'no d***heads policy.' His extensive background includes working with the New Zealand national netball team (1994-97), the New Zealand cricket team (1998-2004), and most notably, the All Blacks (New Zealand's national rugby team) from 2000, where he served as a mental skills coach for 15 years and then as their leadership manager for seven. He also had a stint with Premier League club Chelsea in 2023. Why has England's cricket team brought in Enoka? England's cricket team has hired Gilbert Enoka amidst a high-drama series against India and in preparation for the crucial Ashes against Australia. The decision was influenced by the growing number of New Zealanders in the England setup, including head coach Brendon McCullum, with whom Enoka previously worked in New Zealand cricket. His role is to 'toughen up' the squad during this pivotal phase. What is Enoka's 'no d***heads policy'? Enoka's 'no d***heads policy' is a philosophy designed to eliminate self-serving and counterproductive behaviours within a team. According to Enoka, a 'd***head' is someone who makes everything about themselves, puts themselves ahead of the team, believes they are entitled to special treatment, operates deceitfully, or seeks unnecessary attention for their work. The policy emphasises that if such individuals cannot change their behaviour, they should be removed from the team, regardless of their talent. What was Enoka's impact on the All Blacks rugby team? Gilbert Enoka's tenure with the All Blacks, where he served for 22 years, coincided with a 'golden era' for the team. During this period, the All Blacks achieved significant success, including back-to-back Rugby World Cup triumphs in 2011 and 2015, and maintained a prolonged reign as the world's top-ranked side. When did Gilbert Enoka join the England cricket setup and for how long? Gilbert Enoka began working behind the scenes with Brendon McCullum's team since a pre-season camp in London in May, ahead of the Zimbabwe Test. He formally joined the squad during the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against India, addressing players before training at Old Trafford. Related Topics India vs England Test series
Indian Express
8 hours ago
- Sport
- Indian Express
England cricket team ropes in All Blacks' mental skills coach Gilbert Enoka, famous for ‘no d***heads policy'
With the growing influence of New Zealanders in the England cricket team, including head coach Brendon McCullum, fast-bowling consultant Tim Southee, and captain Ben Stokes (a New Zealand native who later moved to the UK), another man from New Zealand has joined the setup. The former All Blacks (New Zealand's national rugby team) coach, Gilbert Enoka, who introduced what he called a 'no d***heads policy' to the New Zealand squad, has now joined the England team during the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against India. England's decision to onboard a mental skills coach came amid a high-drama series against India, where the home side is currently leading the five-match Test series 2-1 after the third Test at Lord's. According to The Telegraph, Enoka has been brought in by his compatriot Brendon McCullum — with whom he previously worked in New Zealand cricket — to toughen up an England squad amid a pivotal phase that includes series against India followed by the all-important Ashes against Australia. Enoka has been working behind the scenes with McCullum's team since a pre-season camp in London ahead of the Zimbabwe Test in May. On Tuesday, he addressed the players before training at Old Trafford and will remain with the squad until the end of the week, per The Telegraph. A key figure in New Zealand rugby, Enoka has been associated with the All Blacks since 2000, serving in various roles. After 15 years as a mental skills coach, he spent the last seven as their leadership manager. His tenure coincided with a golden era for the team, including back-to-back World Cup triumphs (2011 and 2015) and a prolonged reign as the world's top-ranked side. Before his rugby success, Enoka worked with the New Zealand cricket team (1998–2004) and the national netball team (1994–97). More recently, he was hired by Premier League club Chelsea in 2023 for a stint in England. 'A dickhead makes everything about them,' he said in 2017. 'They are people who put themselves ahead of the team, people who think they're entitled to things, expect the rules to be different for them, people operating deceitfully in the dark, or being unnecessarily loud about their work. 'The management might not spot these counterproductive behaviours. The players and leaders themselves should call others out for their inflated egos. Often teams put up with it because a player has so much talent. We look for early warning signs and wean the big egos out pretty quickly. Our motto is: 'If you can't change the people, change the people,'' as quoted by The Guardian.
Sydney Morning Herald
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
Ashes 2025: England reveal dressing room meetings to plan sledging in India Test
'I think a couple of England sides can sometimes come across as too nice and we actually spoke about that as a group,' Carse said at a sponsor's media opportunity between Tests. 'There's a lot of times when you play against sides as an opposition and they get stuck into us and we kind of sit back and don't get involved too much. 'So I think – and again going back to [Lord's] and to the latter part of that game – moving forwards it will certainly be something that we remember as a group going into an away Ashes tour where no doubt there will be some tough moments out there. But we will definitely not take a backwards step to the Aussies.' Brydon Carse. Credit: Getty Images McCullum's resort to the motivational skills of Enoka – who has also had a longtime role with the All Blacks – has a profound irony to it given all this recent talk of sledging and not being too nice. It was with Enoka's help that McCullum chose to steer his New Zealand side away from sledging, having decided that the Black Caps were not suited to the brazen tactics of past Australian sides led by the likes of Steve Waugh. 'People undoubtedly warmed to the fact that we no longer sledged the opposition,' McCullum said in 2016. 'We worked out what would work for us, based on the traits of being Kiwis. To try to be humble and hardworking and to enjoy what we were doing. 'For us, sledging in an abusive manner just didn't fit with who we believed we had to be. It wasn't authentic to being a New Zealander.' Loading England's approach in the third Test at Lord's was very different. 'We try to play in the spirit of the game as much as possible, but them lads went hard at Crawley and Ducky on that night when [Jasprit] Bumrah bowled that single over,' Brook said. 'So we watched that and we reassessed and we thought it was the right time to go back at them. 'It might have given them that little bit of added pressure and thankfully they ended up crumbling and we won the game. The opportunity that arose for us to not be the nice guys was because of what they did. 'We just thought, 'We're not standing for that'. We had a conversation and said, 'It's time to not be those nice guys that we have been before'. We were doing it within the spirit of the game. We weren't going out there effing and jeffing at them and being nasty people.' Under the captaincy of Pat Cummins, Australia have steered well away from sledging, certainly of the premeditated kind. 'I would say that people, media and fans, who've followed our team closely over the last few years would tend to agree [we don't sledge],' Mitchell Starc said last month. News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport are sent every Monday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.
