Mohammad Kaif, The former Indian player has pointed out about the reason for the injuries of Indian star players. There is a common link between Jasprit Bumrah, Shreyas Iyer, and Deepak Chahar – frequent injuries. All three premier India players have been victims of recurrent injury issues. Recently, Chahar sustained a left hamstring injury after completing just one over in a game against Mumbai Indians. To make matters worse, Chahar was already rehabilitating for a quadriceps injury he suffered in the home series against West Indies when he missed the entire IPL 2022 due to a back injury.
It’s hard to watch as two of India’s most treasured athletes, Bumrah and Iyer, battle their injuries. Despite having undergone surgery for the former and considering a procedure abroad for the latter, both strive to be in peak health by the time the ODI World Cup in India rolls around in late 2023. The frequent injuries have left some fans exasperated, but former India player Mohammad Kaif believes that the fault lies more with India’s National Cricket Academy (NCA) than with the players themselves.
“I have noticed faults in the system. Players have gotten picked in the squad and then pulled out before the match, citing they weren’t fully fit. This happened to Bumrah recently, and even Mohammad Shami has done this a couple of times. So the NCA trainers, physios, VVS Laxman and his team have to take care of these situations. Because it is unfair on the fans of cricket, who are expecting Bumrah to play the next day, I feel this is a very serious matter, and the management shouldn’t take it lightly,” Kaif told Sportskeeda in an exclusive interview facilitated by Star Sports.
Nitin Patel, Head of Sports Science, and his team at the NCA are having difficulty keeping up with the players as they prefer their own trainer and dietician. To ensure that everyone remains on the same page and to avoid further issues, the board should find a way to bring all related activities under one roof. Weight training has been blamed on recent player mistakes, but it’s important to remember they may be following the guidance of their management. The backroom staff should consider revising their strategy. Mohammad Kaif, Hindi commentator with Star Sports for IPL 2023, suggested that fitness levels should be more rigorously monitored and that progress should be made accessible to every team member.
“There should be transparency, and players should be tested properly before being declared fit. There shouldn’t be any grey area left; a player is either fit or more, 10-20 days will be needed. As a Bumrah fan, I want to know what injury he has, what is his recovery time, etc. So they should address this transparency bit and put forth the exact matter,” he remarked.
The Kolkata Knight Riders have suffered a major loss, with Nitish Rana taking over as the new captain after the team’s star player could not continue due to an undisclosed injury. As a result, it can be difficult to find reliable information, and there is a risk of spreading misinformation.
“And for that, you want your best players to play”: Kaif
With the excitement surrounding the build-up to the 16th edition of the IPL, one question continually popped up in press conferences. This question revolved around workload management due to the BCCI’s direction that special consideration must be given to players who are part of the national side. However, former assistant coach of the Delhi Capitals (DC) Mohammad Kaif said that teams aiming to win their matches want their top players available and thus will not be swayed by the BCCI’s direction.
“BCCI can alert the teams, but even they know franchise model is completely different. All the corporates are working here, and the fact of the matter is, there is love for the game and also business. So every owner wants to win that trophy because only then you will get fame.
“And for that, you want your best players to play – it’s as simple as that. No management would want their star players to sit out. BCCI can very well ask the teams to look after the India players, but I think every franchise will field their best players on the given day,” the 42-year-old stated.
While Team India rightly cares for the sense of pride in representing the country, the franchises have millions of dollars at stake. Both perspectives are valid in their own right.
Taking Sachin Tendulkar’s example, Mohammad Kaif reminded everyone that minor issues are part of an athlete’s life, but they pale compared to the overwhelming pride of being part of the national squad.
“I always give Sachin Tendulkar’s example. He has played 24 years for India. And having played that long, he also went through injuries and must have felt tired at times. But that passion to play overpowered everything. When you are getting a chance to play and wear that blue jersey, you should never say no. It’s fine if you have a serious injury, but there will always be niggles and stiffness in your body,” Kaif reasoned.