The painful reality of our times

By Rajadhyax

These days cricketers – and hence cricket – is dogged by a long list of injuries. From minor ones that keep a player away for a match, to major ones that cut short a glorious career, injuries are a painful reality of modern-day cricket. Increasing number of matches, greater reliance on the number game, media glare, competitive pressures, harder practice schedules and the hunger to retain ones place in the side are the major causes of tired muscles and injuries.

One always yearns for expert’s opinion on such issues. So I decided to have a chat with Mahendra Gokhale, former Ranji cricketer and now a professional fitness consultant who was Fitness Trainer for the IPL team ‘Mumbai Indians’ in 2008. He has been a fitness in-charge for the Baroda and Maharashtra Ranji teams in addition to his stints with Indian tennis and badminton players. Having worked with diverse players like Sania Mirza, Gaurav Natekar, Irfan and Yousuf Pathan, along with the illustrious stars of Mumbai Indians, he knows a lot in the field. Here are excerpts from the chat we had at the plush PYC Gymkhana.

Rajadhyax: After under going so many fitness programmes under professional guidance, how do cricketers still get injuries?

Mahendra Gokhale: The pressures of cricket have increased on players. There is a lot of travelling involved. There is hardly any free time left to relax. There has to be a good balance between exercise and relaxation but players find it hard to get. Plus there’s a lot of mental stress in the game today. To stay fit you need to be stress free, mentally. It’s becoming tough to keep the players injury-free. That’s why you find countries developing a pool of 20 players. That’s bench strength; an injured player can be replaced for that match.

R: What are the most common injuries in cricket?

MG: Difficult to point out, but bowlers mainly have injuries in knees and back. Batsmen often complain of injuries in shoulders and arms.

R: What do cricketers have to do to remain fit?

MG: There’s hardly any off-season nowadays. Players travel across continents, a lot of money is involved. So cricketers have to work on strength maintenance. Lack of strength, instability in muscles, fatigue and lack of co-ordination between muscles can lead to injuries. You also need a lot of aerobic exercise. It’s a tough job for trainers or physios. One must have a good fitness attitude like Sachin (Tendulkar). I learnt a lot working with him. He is a workaholic and works seriously on strength maintenance.

R: Do pace bowlers have to be more fitness conscious than others?

MG: Yes, their task is hard. Their body takes many hits and stresses. The work load is demanding. Bowling a long spell at your top speed can drain your body. Then imagine them playing back-to-back matches. They do not get much of a recovery time. Great pace bowlers like McGrath or Alan Donald were sometimes paid by their boards to take rest. Imagine being paid not to play (smiles). That’s how you can conserve pace bowlers.

R: Are players more fitness conscious now than before?

MG: Yes! They don’t want to miss a match. As I said, there’s a lot of money involved. It’s very competitive. They miss a match and their place is gone. Regaining your place in the team is difficult. Take the case of Michael Vaughan who got a knee injury, opted out and had to finally retire.

R: Does T20 cricket put more pressure on fitness needs?

MG: Of course! T20 game is fast. The level of fitness has to be very high. T20 training includes what we call ‘explosive training’. And also speed-training. But the risk is that this kind of training also can lead to injuries. So you can’t over-do it. That’s why younger players are preferred in T20.

R: How do you deal with players who are not fitness crazy or are lazy?

MG: You have to look at what role the player has in the game….also what is the priority of the match. Man-management skills are important. I have to motivate the lazy ones, obviously. At times we have specialist players. Their role in the team is crucial. I have to understand the psychology of a player. When to push a 35 year-old and when to push an 18 year-old is a judgement one has to make.

R: Does a good diet contribute in reducing injuries?

MG: Diet plays a vital role in fitness. And fit players can avoid injuries. What you put in your mouth is your responsibility. Input must be good to get the right output. What not to eat is also very important. Banned substances must be avoided in diet. Protein, calcium and minerals must be taken. Lot of fluids – water – is a must for good hydration. Even the nervous system works better with good hydration.

R: How to avoid injuries during practice?

MG: Injuries can occur while practicing. Scientific practice techniques are to be used. This must start early, at 10 or 12 years of age. I can mould a boy at 10 but at 25 I have to modify. Use the right techniques from an early age and it becomes a habit. Try to learn the technique later and it’s difficult. That’s the difference between a diving Jonty Rhodes and diving Anil Kumble.