Keeping the score ticking

Fitness camps for cricketers are an important part of the game, and missing them means a lot of catching up to do.

Cricket affairs in Delhi have been thrown into disarray, with Virender Sehwag accusing the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) of corruption. Led by Sehwag, a total of nine players have stayed away from the training camp to prepare the state’s players for the domestic season ahead. This move is set to further weaken the already beleaguered Delhi team, which has not exactly been on a winning streak. With training camps now a norm before any tournament, even if the crisis is resolved soon, the team faces a tough task to get match ready. Here is the lowdown on what exactly a cricket team undergoes in a training camp.

Much of the fitness regime followed by cricketers in India today has to be credited to efforts by New Zealander Andrew Kokinos and Australian Andrew Leipus, who were the first foreign physios to work in Indian cricket. With both having studied sports medicine and having had extensive experience working abroad, they brought with them a treasure-trove of knowledge.

One of the first exercises that Kokinos prescribed was the beep test, to make fielders run faster. In this test, there are two marked points, and each has a beeper. The player has to run from one to the other end before the beeper here goes off, and then back again. The frequency of the beeps keeps increasing, raising the difficulty.

Another test is designed to monitor the levels of glycogen in muscles after bursts of activity — for example, scampering for a quick single or two. Analysing this helps individual players improve their running between the wickets, which is an important part of cricket today.

Endurance exercises help fielders remain alert on the field throughout the game. The focus is kept on improving alertness so that the ball can be attacked speedily. The art of diving correctly to make that crucial stop is also taught. Of special interest for bowlers is improving shoulder, knee and ankle strength to resist injuries. A monitored diet is the norm at all camps and, finally, an Indian touch: yoga sessions are mandatory.