New Delhi, Dec. 8 -- Sachin Tendulkar, arguably the greatest batsman of all time, hit a rough patch in 2003-04. He was repeatedly getting out to deliveries outside the off stump, especially while playing the cover drive, his signature stroke.

After 13 innings without a century, he made a conscious and counter-intuitive decision in the Sydney Test of 2004: he would not play the cover drive at all. The result was an unbeaten 241 against a formidable Australian attack. His ability to suppress instinct for nearly ten hours reflected immense clarity, discipline, and mental fortitude.

The markets in 2026 may test investors in a similar way. When instinct pushes for quick reactions, it is behaviour discipline, restraint, and clarity of purpose...