Jemmiah Rodrigues is trying her best to push the lump down her throat and failing miserably. She has just played the inning that would change her life forever. Thrust under the spotlight after her match-winning 127 in the World Cup semi-final, she has a microphone in her hand. The world wants to hear her speak. “I thank Jesus, I couldn’t have done this on my own .. he carried me through this” — that’s how she starts her thanks-giving.

The atheist might smirk but Jemimah is one among the many athletes who bank on some higher power — religion, spiritual or philosophical — to deal with the complexities of professional sports. All alone on the field, burdened by unrealistic expectations and with repercussions of failure dire, the pros need company when dealing with crisis. The troubles of the

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