Mental health conditioning coach Paddy Upton has expressed the excitement and privilege he feels being back as he is back with India men’s senior national team for a short stint along with the coaching staff of Rahul Dravid. Upton expressed delight at reuniting with Dravid, a long-time colleague, and friend.

The Indian team management roped in Paddy Upton on Tuesday as the mental conditioning expert for Team India on a short-term contract. The South African will be featuring in the contingent under the captaincy of Rohit Sharma until the end of the T20 World Cup in Australia later this year.

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Upton, who was a part of the 2011 World Cup-winning Indian team’s support staff, will be joining the ODI team from Wednesday’s third match against the West Indies in Port of Spain. Tweeting about the same, he wrote, “Excited and privileged to be back in #TeamIndia colours, working alongside long time colleague, friend and Head Coach Rahul Dravid. Much of our journey was thanks to @rajasthanroyals.”

Excited and privileged to be back in #TeamIndia colours, working alongside long time colleague, friend and Head Coach Rahul Dravid. Much of our journey was thanks to @rajasthanroyals https://t.co/4v38iDGWgc

— Paddy Upton (@PaddyUpton1) July 26, 2022

Say Hello 👋🏻 to our Mental Conditioning Coach – Mr. Paddy Upton 😃#TeamIndia 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/KEjpnXuC81

— BCCI (@BCCI) July 26, 2022

Paddy Upton was first roped in by former Indian coach Gary Kirsten, when he took charge of the senior national team in 2008 and they forged a successful partnership till 2011. Upton was part of the backroom staff when India, under the captaincy of MS Dhoni’s captaincy, lifted the 2011 World Cup in Mumbai.

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After leaving the India job, Paddy Upton was seen working with Gary Kirsten with the South Africa men’s senior national team that rose to the No. 1 spot in Tests. The mental conditioning expert worked with Rahul Dravid during the latter stages of the India cricketer’s career before joining hands with the legendary cricketer at Rajasthan Royals and Delhi Daredevils.