Indian bowlers using forced break to optimize their fitness

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New Zealand v India - T20: Game 4

There seems to be no possibility of any cricket happening for the next three to six months at least and, therefore, helping the players maintain fitness during this period is of paramount importance. The Indian pace bowlers – Jasprit Bumrah and Co – have been asked to make full use of the treadmill and other gym instruments at home to regain full fitness.

Sources told Sportskeeda that the team trainer has also given individual fitness drills for every pacer in the team besides the general fitness routine. It is also learnt that all this is monitored by the team management.

Some of them are taking the much-needed rest inside their homes and a few are busy helping in domestic work and spending quality time with members of their family. However, all are following the fitness drills given to them.

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"We assume that they have a treadmill at home and they are doing their regular running and other strengthening exercises to keep themselves fit. They are professionals and don't need to be told what they are supposed to be doing," a BCCI source said. 

The Indian pace attack, which came under the scanner for a poor show in New Zealand, has also been plagued with injuries to key bowlers like Ishant Sharma and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Even Bumrah looked patch in New Zealand and went wicketless in the ODI series. The jaded pace attack has been struggling to create the same impact post the 2019 World Cup in England. 

However, this forced layoff from the game is turning out to be blessing in disguise to those who have been playing non-stop cricket. "The main thing about bowling at the highest level is to ensure that the bowlers are fresh. This forced break could work wonders for the bowlers," the source added.

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