Injuries within the Indian cricket team have sparked a new discussion regarding player preparation methods and physical fitness levels. Currently, athletes such as Jasprit Bumrah, Sai Sudarshan, Washington Sundar, Hardik Pandya, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Harshit Rana are unable to participate in matches due to various injuries.
Former captain of the Indian team, Sunil Gavaskar, directed his concerns not at the physiotherapists at the Centre of Excellence (CoE), but at the Indian team's training system itself. He believes that the issue of recurring hamstring injuries among Indian players cannot be dismissed as a common occurrence. A thorough analysis of training patterns and player workload management is necessary to find the root cause.
Recent queries were raised to the Centre of Excellence located in Bangalore. Nevertheless, Sunil Gavaskar defended the physiotherapists working there. In his mid-day column, he noted: 'Bumrah has a knee injury, but most Indian players suffer from hamstring injuries. It is evident that something is wrong with their training, which is why hamstring injuries keep happening again and again.'
Previously, BBC Laxman also defended the work of the CoE, asserting that viewing the center solely as a 'rehabilitation center' for players is incorrect. Sunil Gavaskar also pointed out that most injuries occur during matches for the Indian team, yet the medical staff of the CoE is subsequently criticized.
Sunil Gavaskar questioned one of the approaches to managing bowler workloads in modern cricket. In his view, setting a limit on the number of balls a bowler can bowl in training is not always beneficial. Citing an example from the IPL, he mentioned that some foreign physiotherapists restrict bowlers to no more than 20 balls in training. Gavaskar questioned how such a limited practice can aid match preparation if a bowler must bowl four overs, meaning a minimum of 24 balls, in a T20 match.
Sunil Gavaskar's most significant comment concerned the criteria for player physical condition. He insisted that the body must be prepared for the real demands of the field, rather than merely achieving gym fitness. He wrote: 'It is necessary to seriously consider why these injuries are recurring. Being ready for the match is far more important than being physically fit in the gym. Although it is possible I belong to a generation whose views on fitness differed.'
Captain Shubman Gill also expressed concern over the constant changes in squads due to injuries. After a series of ODIs against England, he mentioned the upcoming World Cup, noting that India might need to play nine or ten matches in a major tournament, making player availability crucial.
