- Individual body awareness, tailored fitness, vital for sustained performance.
Team India has faced a major injury crisis over the past three months, with fast bowlers being the most affected. Surprisingly, players are getting injured series after series despite receiving fitness clearance certificates from the Central of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru. To understand why Indian players are struggling on the fitness front, ABP News consultant Ravish Bisht engaged in an exclusive conversation with former Indian fast bowler Vivek Razdan.
Razdan offered deep insights into modern cricket demands, body awareness, and training mistakes that lead to frequent injuries.
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Year-Round Cricket And Lack Of Off-Season Time
Addressing why players especially fast bowlers are getting injured so frequently, Razdan stated that avoiding injuries in today’s era is extremely difficult due to a non-stop cricket calendar. Some bowlers have technical flaws in their action that need correction, but tweaking mechanics requires dedicated time off.
Unlike today, players in Razdan’s era enjoyed a proper three-month off-season to work on their technique and recovery. Nowadays, bowlers simply do not get that kind of break. Razdan advises young fast bowlers that while gym work is beneficial, prioritizing flexibility is essential.
Understanding Individual Body Needs And Jasprit Bumrah Blueprint
According to Razdan, there is no hard-and-fast rule when it comes to fitness; it completely depends on the individual player. Every athlete has a unique body, meaning one player’s training routine cannot simply be copy-pasted onto another. Because the standard of international cricket has risen dramatically, athletes must pay extreme attention to their fitness and understand their own physical limits.
Jasprit Bumrah Example: When Jasprit Bumrah made his debut, critics claimed his unconventional bowling action wouldn’t last long. Yet, Bumrah has played almost every format for nearly a decade. While he has suffered injuries, his ability to make powerful comebacks stems from understanding his body and tailoring his fitness regimen accordingly.
Root Cause Of Rising Hamstring Issues
When asked why hamstring injuries are becoming so widespread among pacers, Razdan emphasized that a fast bowler’s primary strength lies in their legs. The legs absorb the heaviest load during a run-up and delivery stride. Bowlers with weaker leg strength or unrefined technical mechanics inevitably end up suffering from hamstring breakdowns and related muscular issues.
How Fast Bowlers Kept Fit In The Past
Comparing modern gym-heavy routines with traditional methods, Razdan shared that running was the core of physical preparation during his playing days. Their weekly routine included:
Long-Distance Running: Dedicated two days a week to building stamina.
Sprint Work: Executed sprints matching the exact distance of their bowling run-up.
Light Weight Training: Gym sessions focused on high repetitions with lighter weights rather than heavy powerlifting.
Role Of Modern Bowling Coaches And Injury Management
Despite the presence of dedicated bowling coaches today, serious injuries continue to pile up. Razdan explained that a bowling coach’s role in the national team is performance-oriented such as analyzing opposition batters’ weaknesses and setting tactical line-and-length plans. They do not rework a bowler’s core technique during an ongoing series.
Expressing surprise at the severity of modern injuries, Razdan concluded that bowlers either lack the time to focus on proper physical fitness or are unable to manage it alongside their packed playing schedules.
