"EPDS" factor behind decline of Smith, Kohli, says Chappell; backs modern-day greats to finish careers on own terms

Both Virat and Smith are participating in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy between India and Australia, with the fourth Test from December 26 onwards in Melbourne, a Boxing Day affair. While both batters have notched centuries in the series, they have been facing a decline in their form over the last few years and have not dominated the sport statistically like they did in their prime.

Smith's 2014-2022 form is considered perhaps the greatest prime hit by a Test batter, having scored 7,573 runs at an average of 67.02 across 75 Tests and 130 innings. His best score was 239. During these eight years, he had completed an inspiring transition from a spin-bowling all-rounder to a premier top-order batter, demolishing some world-class attacks home and away.

The past two years have not been kind to the Aussie legend. In 21 Tests and 39 innings since the start of 2023, Smith has made just 1,266 runs at a rather disappointing average of 37.24, with just four centuries and four fifties and best score of 121. While the numbers are not poor, they just look sub-par for someone who dominated the Tests the way Smith did to earn the tag of 'Best Since Bradman'. Smith's last Test ton at Brisbane in the third Test was his first in 25 in

The 36-year-old Indian star Virat is in the same boat. Having scored 4,208 runs in 43 Tests and 69 innings at an average of 66.79 between 2016-2019 with 16 centuries and 10 fifties, the star is now struggling to reach the dizzying heights he reached in his peak. In 37 Tests played since 2020-start, Virat has averaged just 31.68 runs while making 1,964 runs in 37 Tests, with just three centuries and nine fifties to showcase as flashes of his batting genius.

Smith's last Test ton at Brisbane in the third Test was his first in 25 innings while for Kohli, the wait lasted 15 innings.

In his column for Sydney Morning Herald, Greg recalled that during his final year as a Test player in 1984 at the age of 35, he felt "cracks in his once unshakable armour" as he his mental energy had started to "wane" and he was no longer the same while attacking and easy with his footwork.

"It was a humbling realisation, and yet it felt natural. For my last Test in Sydney (in which he scored 182), I asked our captain, Kim Hughes, if I could bat at my favourite No.4 position. I knew it would be my final bow, and I wanted to go out on my terms. Despite a tentative start, I found something deep within me - a fragment of the rhythm and focus that had defined my prime. I finished with a century at the SCG, a fitting end to a cherished journey," he added.

Greg further wrote that this is not the case with just him, but of every great batter like Virat, Sachin Tendulkar, Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting who face the "inevitability of time". "The arc of a cricketer's career often concludes with a struggle to come to terms with diminishing powers. The phenomenon, often unspoken yet universally understood, is what I like to call Elite Performance Decline Syndrome (EPDS)," he added.

Greg said that the first sign of this "EPDS" is a shift in the player's approach where he focuses more on being cautious than attacking. He said that the same is the case with Virat during the last four years. The Aussie great said that this caution is because of "aversion to risk", a "creeping self-doubt" and the "sharpest minds lose some of their edge".

"Kohli, once renowned for his domineering starts, has in recent years shown a tendency to begin tentatively. Much like Tendulkar and Ponting before him, Kohli seems to need a buffer - a score of 20 or 30 - before he can rediscover his flow."

"This cautiousness is born of a growing aversion to risk, a creeping self-doubt that stems from the weight of poor performances and heightened scrutiny. For elite athletes, confidence is everything. The slightest crack in their mental strength can disrupt the clarity required to dominate bowlers."

"Batsmanship relies heavily on automatic decision-making, a process refined over years of repetition and success. But as the years roll on, even the sharpest minds lose some of their edge. Neuroplasticity - the brain's ability to form and strengthen neural connections - slows with age. This means players start to second-guess themselves, hesitating where instinct once reigned."

Greg said that ageing players often speak about "mental noise", the internal chatter they have in themselves that clouds their judgement.

"This noise leads to poor shot selection, mistimed strokes, and the frustration of knowing they are capable of more but are unable to summon it," he added.

The 76-year-old said that perhaps the "greatest enemy" for an ageing batter is "fatigue - both physical and mental". He also pointed out how the emotional toll of carrying the expectations of fans, teammates and self can also lead to exhaustion, citing the example of former Australian captain Steve Waugh.

"A master of mental toughness (Waugh), once admitted that towards the end of his career, the mental effort required to perform outweighed the joy of the game," he added.

Pointing out another foe for a batter, "self-doubt", Chappell said, " For batsmen, it's particularly insidious. The best players thrive on instinct, but when doubt creeps in, it forces them to overthink their approach. Harsha Bhogle (noted cricket broadcaster) once noted that many greats develop a fear of failure late in their careers, opting for safety over aggression."

Greg said that in his interviews, Virat has acknowledged his "internal battle between his attacking instincts and caution"

"This hesitation, while understandable, is emblematic of EPDS - a syndrome where the desire to avoid mistakes overshadows the instinct to dominate," he added.

The former Australian batter continued to listing down reasons behind an ageing batter's decline, such as age and consequent slow-down of reflexes and hand-eye coordination, and decreasing levels of dopamine "Age does not just affect the mind; it takes a toll on the body, too. Reflexes slow, hand-eye coordination declines, and the ability to pick up the ball early diminishes. In my opinion, the syndrome is more mental than physical, though. For a batter facing bowlers hurling deliveries at over 140 km/h, even the slightest delay in reaction can be fatal."

"Moreover, levels of dopamine - a key driver of motivation and risk-taking - naturally decrease with age. As a result, athletes become more reliant on conscious thought, which slows reaction times and introduces hesitation. This decline might explain why older players often adopt a "survival-first" mindset, waiting until they feel comfortable before taking risks," he added.

Greg noted that ageing players find way to adapt despite these challenges and rediscover their rhythm once they reach the score of 20 or 30 while playing in an innings. This phase of their innings he said, marks a "psychological turning point, helping them regain the confidence and fluency of their prime."

"This pattern is evident in Kohli's recent performances, as it was in the twilight years of Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar. Once settled, they could still produce innings that reminded the world why they were regarded as all-time greats," he added.

Greg noted that the most "most poignant aspect of EPDS" is the "emotional struggle" that a player faces because of public expectations, scrutiny and dissection.

"Gavaskar captured this sentiment perfectly when he said: "The hardest thing about batting is not the bowler. It is the silence in your own head when you know you are not what you were," he added.

The former Aussie legend said to all aforementioned things is to "rekindle the thinking of your youth". Noting that confidence is also an "emotion", Greg said that if one gets that, he can "reinvent" himself.

Greg said that understanding the so-called EPDS is crucial not only just in cricket, but where-ever excellence is needed over long periods of time. "For athletes, accepting decline is not about giving up; it is about finding new ways to contribute, adapting to changing realities, and leaving the game on their own terms," he added.

The 76-year-old urged fans to celebrate players like Smith and Virat not just for their "peak performances, but also their "their resilience in the face of decline". "Instead of critiquing their struggles, we should honour their journey and the lessons they impart about the human spirit," he added.

Greg noted that during his final match at Sydney against Pakistan, he found peace in "walking away" from the game as he battled through a difficult start and eventually summoned the "mental toughness of his younger self" to score a memorable century.

"It was proof that while time may diminish our powers, it cannot erase the habits of excellence ingrained over a lifetime," he added.

The Aussie legend says that he witnesses the same struggle as he witnesses the careers of Virat, Smith, Root, he sees the same struggle, "the same battle between instinct and adaptation, confidence and caution."

Backing the aforementioned stars to end their careers on their own terms, Chapell concluded, "It is a reminder that greatness isn't just about peak performance; it is about the courage to evolve, to endure and to finish with dignity. And when the time comes, they too will know." (ANI)