Explainer: Why are Indian players struggling with hamstrings again and again, how is the preparation regarding fitness, questions raised about the coordination between CoE and management.

Team India has recently played ODI and T20 series with England, where Team India had to face defeat. On this tour, the Indian team was also seen struggling with injuries of its players. Where Nitish Kumar Reddy and Harshit Rana were out of the ODI series due to injury. Apart from this, Jasprit Bumrah could not play the entire series due to injury, while Shubman Gill was also seen struggling with hamstring during the series.

After losing the ODI series in England, captain Shubman Gill had also expressed concern about the fitness level of the players. In the last one year, the team management has faced difficulties due to injuries to many important players before or during the series. Gill’s statements have raised questions about the coordination between the Indian team’s fitness management system, medical team and Center of Excellence (CoE).

Why is hamstring problem increasing among players?

There have been frequent cases of hamstring injuries in the Indian team in recent times. A BCCI source claimed that many players were not fully prepared before taking the field and there is a need for better communication between the team management and CoE regarding fitness management. The source said, “The recent increase in the number of hamstring injuries shows that the players were not fully fit before taking the field. There seems to be a lack of communication between the Commission of Training (CoE) and the team management regarding the fitness and workload of the players.”

How was the fitness roadmap prepared during Dravid’s era?

When Rahul Dravid was the head coach, BCCI’s medical team, CoE and team management together used to prepare a long-term fitness roadmap for the players. The aim of this plan was to ensure that players can reach their prescribed level of fitness before major ICC tournaments and important Test series.

Questions on injuries of which players?

According to BCCI sources, the board is worried about the recurring injuries of Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy. Sources say that under the pressure of making up for Hardik Pandya, an attempt was made to make Nitish Reddy bowl fast, which affected his workload. “Reddy has worked with England bowling coach Stephen Jones to improve his pace but when he is with the team ahead of a big tournament, it should be a gradual process. Instead, he pushes himself to bowl faster every time he is with the team,” the source said.

Was Harshit’s return premature?

The source also expressed concern about Harshit Rana’s fitness. He says that after returning from injury, players should get enough time to prepare completely. “It is a bit worrying how Harshit was cleared by the investigating committee under pressure from the team management when he had not even regained his pre-knee injury weight. More caution needs to be exercised in these cases,” the source said.

Was there a hurry regarding Washington Sundar also?

According to the report, Washington Sundar was also hastily included in the T20 World Cup squad in February this year. The source claimed, “After joining the team, it took Washington 10 full days to get fit to play the match. The team management put pressure on him to get ready during the tournament itself. This must have had an impact on him. The team can call the players back, but the medical team will have to give a clear report.”

Why different strategy regarding Bumrah?

Jasprit Bumrah is considered a special case for BCCI. Given his past injury history, he would not have been forced to suddenly increase his fast bowling load. Before big matches, his fitness and bowling ability is gradually increased, so that he can take the field with complete preparation.

How will the fitness system improve?

For this, communication between the players and the medical team is very important. Players who prepare elsewhere as per their convenience without the interference of the Center for International Cricket Training (CoE) should avoid doing so. Due to which it can be solved.