The world of modern cricket is changing rapidly. In today's time, an international cricketer remains busy on the field for 12 months of the year. Bilateral tours across all three formats (Test, ODI, T20) as well as countless T20 leagues across the world have taken the pace of the game and player engagement to its peak. This busy schedule has the worst effect on the body of fast bowlers. On October 13, the England Cricket Board rested four of its key fast bowlers like Jofra Archer and Gus Atkinson from the upcoming T20 series against Australia so that they can remain fully fit and fresh for the important Test tour of South Africa to be held in December. This strategic decision has once again sparked a discussion in the cricket world regarding the topic of 'workload management'. Let us understand in simple words in this article what this technology is, why it has become a necessity for fast bowlers in today's era and how it is changing the direction of their career.
What is workload management?
In simple words, 'workload management' means striking a right balance between the playing and resting time of any player, especially a fast bowler. Under this, using sports science and data, it is tracked how many overs a bowler has bowled including net practice and matches, how much running he has done on the field and how much physical stress has been put on his body. When this data starts crossing a certain limit, scientists and coaches deliberately give the player a break from certain series or matches to prevent injury. Its main objective is to maintain the fitness of the player for a long time.
Why is this very important for modern fast bowlers?
A fast bowler's body actually works like a mixture of a sprinter and a heavy-weight lifter. When a bowler bowls at a speed of more than 140 kilometers per hour, at the time of landing there is a huge pressure on his knees, ankles and back, about 8 to 10 times his actual body weight. In earlier times, players used to rest for weeks after the end of an international series, but today the pressure of continuous cricket has increased to such an extent that due to T20 leagues like IPL, PSL and Big Bash as well as frequent ICC events, the rest time for bowlers has completely ended.
Due to the body not getting enough rest in such a busy schedule, the risk of fast bowlers suffering from stress fracture (crack in the back bone), muscle strain and serious knee injuries increases manifold. This is the reason why even the world's best bowlers like Joffra Archer, Jasprit Bumrah and Pat Cummins have stayed away from the cricket field for months due to these serious injuries at some point in their careers.
White-ball vs. red-ball, changing priorities of the boards
The latest decision of the England Board clearly shows that in today's era, cricket boards have divided the importance of formats, in which Test cricket is still considered the highest pinnacle of the game. While T20 matches end quickly and a bowler has to bowl only 4 overs in the entire match, in a Test match he may have to bowl 15 to 20 overs in a day and up to 40 overs in the entire match, which requires more strategic rest.
What effect is this having on the career of fast bowlers?
Workload management has taken the careers of today's fast bowlers on two different paths. On one hand, with proper care, the longevity of players' careers is increasing, like James Anderson playing Test till the age of 41, while on the other hand, Jasprit Bumrah and Pat Cummins are also maintaining their dominance in all three formats due to this reason. On the other hand, the trend of becoming 'freelance cricketers' is increasing among bowlers. To save their body, players like Trent Boult are leaving the central contract of the national team and are giving priority to T20 leagues instead of international cricket, because there they have to bowl less overs and earn more. Due to this, the lack of senior bowlers in international cricket is now clearly visible.
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Does workload management affect sports competitiveness?
There is another side to this coin also. When big star bowlers sit out of an important series, fans and broadcasters are a little disappointed, due to which the excitement of the game is felt a little less. However, one very positive aspect of this is that it strengthens the bench strength of the team. When senior bowlers are rested under the workload, new and young bowlers get a better opportunity to showcase their talent at the international level, leaving teams with a larger pool of backup players for the future.
Workload management is not a hobby, but has become an essential requirement of modern cricket. The human body that runs at a speed of 145 km/hour also needs rest. In the future, we will see more such decisions, where fast bowlers will be seen playing in selected series only. If we want to enjoy the swing and pace of great bowlers like Bumrah, Archer or Cummins for the next many years, then the cricket world will have to completely accept this new rule of 'workload management'.
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