'Lucky to have Horn'

Horn spent time with the Indians in the lead-up to the Champions League, and already, the results are obvious, according to opener Aiden Blizzard.

“We were lucky enough to have Mike Horn come in and spend some time with us,” Blizzard said on Sunday.

“Therefore, our mental preparation has been really good. He emphasised the need for everyone to step up. It’s been a great opportunity for the young guys in the squad and for guys like myself who haven’t had international experience. It gives us an opportunity to stand up and be counted.”

Blizzard was asked what Horn brought to the table.

“Obviously, he is an extreme sportsman. He has been to the North Pole, Antarctica, swum the Amazon -- it’s all about mental challenges. To go for three months in complete darkness is something few people in the world will experience.

We took a lot out of it just in terms of facing adversity. We identified that the younger guys are going to be faced with adversity like we were last night against Chennai. Two people stood up for us, that’s the type of stuff we have been chasing. We are aiming not to get in that position again but if we do, we know that we have prepared ourselves.”