In today’s fast-changing business environment, success is less about avoiding disruption and more about learning how to thrive in it. In this edition of Mind Over Money, Sameer Mathur, MD and Founder of Roinet Solution, shares how lessons from cricket and pickleball have shaped his approach to leadership, decision-making, and navigating uncertainty.
Drawing parallels between the sports field and the boardroom, Mathur explains how anticipation, adaptability, and quick yet thoughtful actions are critical in building resilient organizations.
From reading changing conditions like a cricket captain to balancing speed with precision on the pickleball court, he highlights why staying agile, trusting the process, and empowering teams are essential to creating long-term competitive advantage. Edited Excerpts -
Q) You draw strong parallels between sports and finance—when did you first realise that cricket and pickleball were shaping your decision-making style?
A) I realised this quite early in my career. Sports—especially cricket—taught me the power of teamwork and the importance of understanding individual personalities to bring out the best in people. It also helped me learn the art of motivating teams through both the highs and the lows of the game.
Cricket, in particular, reinforced a deeper life lesson—that it is a great leveler. Wins and losses are both inevitable, but how you respond to them defines your strength as a leader. That perspective has stayed with me and continues to influence how I make decisions, manage teams, and navigate challenges in the business world.
Pickleball has taught me the art of taking calculated risks while moving with speed and control. The game demands quick reflexes, but also precision and composure under pressure. That balance—between speed, risk, and control—translates directly into financial decision-making, where acting fast is important, but acting right is critical.
Q) In cricket, captains constantly reassess the field—how does that translate into evaluating financial risks in real time?
A) My experience from the game has taught me that success comes from constantly reassessing and adapting to changing conditions. In cricket, a captain is always reading the game—adjusting the field based on the situation, the opponent, and the momentum.
Similarly, in finance, it is a constantly evolving landscape where assets can shift from winners to underperformers in a matter of months. This requires continuous monitoring, the ability to interpret market signals, and the discipline to act based on both historical trends and forward-looking insights.
Effective decision-making, therefore, is not static—it’s about staying agile, navigating market shifts in real time, and recalibrating strategies to manage risk and capture opportunities.
Q) Pickleball is all about quick reflexes—how important is speed versus accuracy when making financial decisions?
A) Pickleball really brings out the nuance between speed and accuracy. There are moments in the game where you have to make instant decisions and prioritise speed over perfect shot positioning—simply because timing is critical. Waiting for the “perfect” shot often means losing the point.
A similar dynamic plays out in the world of finance. Many decisions have to be made with incomplete data, where waiting for full accuracy could result in missed opportunities. In such situations, timing becomes as important as precision.
The key is to develop the judgment to know when to prioritise speed and when to insist on accuracy. That balance—acting decisively in the moment while managing the risks of imperfect information—is what defines effective decision-making in both pickleball and finance.
Q) You spoke about trust and encouragement in teams—how do you build that culture in a corporate setup?
A) When you’re part of a team, you realise that not every member will be at their best—mentally or physically—at all times. As a leader, it becomes critical to back your team during those low phases and create an environment of trust and support.
Another important aspect is continuous feedback. Just like in sports, where teams review performances and learn from previous games, in a corporate setup we focus on learning from mistakes and improving consistently. Equally important is staying committed to the process rather than becoming overly fixated on outcomes.
Sports also reinforce that success is collective. It’s never about an individual winning or losing—it’s about the team. That mindset helps build collaboration and shared accountability within the organisation.
Finally, one of the most underrated aspects of culture is enjoyment. Whether in sports or business, you invest a significant amount of time and energy—so it’s important to enjoy the journey. When teams have fun along the way and take pride in the process, performance naturally follows.
Q) Both cricket and pickleball require adapting to changing conditions—how do you apply this to evolving market environments?
A) Adaptability is critical in both sports and business. Just as players adjust to pitch conditions or gameplay dynamics, in finance we must continuously respond to shifting market realities.
We stay close to the ground—understanding customer needs, tracking market signals, and being willing to pivot when required. This combination of agility and data-driven decision-making allows us to remain relevant and competitive in a rapidly evolving environment.
Q) If you had to pick one lesson from sports that every investor should learn, what would it be?
A) Discipline and commitment to the process. It’s about staying focused, maintaining consistency, and continuously improving your skills over time.
They also reinforce the importance of teamwork—backing your team, especially during difficult phases. Every team, like every business, goes through highs and lows. How you support and manage the team during challenging periods often determines long-term success.
Investing is no different. It is inherently a long-term journey that requires patience, resilience, and belief in the process. Much like a captain, coach, or selector building a strong team, an investor must focus on fundamentals, nurture the right people, and stay committed through cycles.
Ultimately, both sports and investing reward those who stay disciplined, trust the process, and keep improving while enjoying the journey along the way.
