With a season of errors, troubles and losses, Mumbai Indians needed to tighten up to get the players back in the groove for the remainder of the season where the defending champions could still make it to the playoffs. The support staffs have devised a moderately fun punishment for players who arrive late for gym and fitness sessions.

A couple of days ago, a video of Ishan Kishan, Rahul Chahar and Anukul Roy was passing around social media where the trio was made to wear a jumpsuit with player-emojis designed all over it. In the video , they were at the airport in the amusing apparel with skipper Rohit Sharma indulging in banter with the three of them, “Why are you with the team?”

The young, promising wicket-keeper Ishan Kishan was feeling so ill at ease that he kept his sunglasses on. “I was told about it two days earlier, but I completely forgot. So, I missed my gym session,” said Kishan. “I’m feeling quite awkward, but still...that’s why I haven’t taken off my sunglasses inside the airport. I don’t want to make eye contact with anyone. I won’t make this mistake again. I will make sure of that.”

While the season has not been the best for the Mumbai franchise, this could be a unique way to turn things around for the three-time champions who got back to winning ways on Friday night against Kings Eleven Punjab.

Counselling psychologist Farah Ladiwala feels that this is a primary technique that she and her counterparts use to alter the behaviour of an individual. “This is the most basic behavioural therapy that we generally use. We try to reinforce by introducing a negative factor in order to get a change. In this case, the negative factor is dressing them up in a funny way. It is said to be an effective way,” says Ladiwala.

Skipper Rohit Sharma makes a jibe at the trio

She also argues that it won’t work similarly on every player if MI is thinking of using this as a long-term penalty for players to not report from gym sessions. “In case of a player like (Chris) Gayle, the same thing won’t work because he does not care about what people think about him. Such people have a different way of thinking,” says the counselling psychologist.

Rahul Chahar who hasn’t yet made an appearance this season did not make it in time to the physio room and even he was donning the emoji jumpsuit.

“Whoever is late will have to wear this special kit. I was late to the physio room. In fact, I never reached. That’s why I have been punished. At last, we were told to wear jeans, but I wore my tracks. When it comes to punctuality, I am always 10 minutes early,” said Chahar.

Athlete and trainer Suraj Marathe believes that as a sportsperson, this is a rather tough on to take. “We are generally okay with running a couple of kilometres extra for missing gym or arriving late but I’d feel really awkward if I was put in the same situation as Ishan,” he says.

The team will hosting Kolkata Knight Riders at Wankhede on Sunday and who knows if these methods bring back the MI Paltan back in the race for the top four spot.