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| No escaping breakdowns |
| Aabhas Sharma / New Delhi Jun 07, 2009, 00:27 IST |
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Zaheer Khan has been arguably the best fast bowler in the world in the last two years or so. Apart from bowling well, the 29-year-old pacer has managed to keep fit for long periods of time, which have made him more lethal than ever. But during the IPL, the injury curse struck him yet again, and even now there are concerns over his fitness in the T20 World Cup.
Fast bowlers and injuries have always walked hand in hand. But it seems like over the years, there have been too many sick notes in international cricket. Shoaib Akhtar is perennially injured. Brett Lee has been sitting on the sidelines as well. Andrew Flintoff, too, can’t seem to escape injuries.
According to British fast-bowling coach Ian Pont, bowlers need to make adjustments to their action if they are getting injured too often. “Even minor adjustments can help in prolonging their careers,” he says. Shorter run-ups and how they land when they are bowling are some things which bowlers can work on.
Over the last few years, the injury list of Indian fast bowlers has been quite lengthy. Ashish Nehra seemed to suffer a lot from the injuries. L Balaji remains in the wilderness due to poor fitness. Even the likes of Munaf Patel and Irfan Pathan have had to endure a tough time due to poor fitness.
A study was carried out a few months ago which said that, at any given point of time, more than 15 per cent of fast bowlers are out of the game due to injuries. “There is a lot of wear and tear with the amount of cricket being played these days,” says Pont.
Former cricket captain Dilip Vengsarkar, too, recently commented on how too much cricket seems to be taking a toll on Indian cricketers. The cricketers can’t complain too much about the amount of cricket being played, because they are handsomely rewarded.
The solution, therefore, lies in not straying away from the fitness regime, even during off season. The main thing, however, according to Pont, is that the action of the bowlers remain safe, and they are looked after properly.
Science and technology have come into play as far as fitness methods are concerned. Special fast-bowling coaches are an integral part of any team management these days.
Being a fast bowler one can’t escape injuries but they can very well be avoided. As Pont says, minor niggles are part and parcel of the sport for a fast bowler, but long-term injuries can be avoided. Going by the injury record of bowlers these days, it seems that, even after sticking to strict regimes, they just can’t escape injuries.
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