Team India will need six to eight weeks of training, asserts Bharat Arun

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, all sporting activities were put on hold as India saw its first phase lockdown that started on March 25. As the third lockdown phase ended on May 17, the central government then extended the nationwide lockdown till May 31 but this time the regulations are such that sports complexes would be opened up for the resumption of training activities.

According to Team India bowling coach Bharat Arun, the biggest challenge for the players would be to bounce back after weeks of staying away from the sport. And in order to make their return to the field smooth, the management will require to schedule six to eight weeks of full-fledged training camps for the cricketers. Arun stated that physiotherapist Nick Webb is working on an elevated fitness programme for the players once they resume cricketing activity. 

"In the present circumstances, all they needed was a programme that is well structured and that's where our trainer Nick Webb and physiotherapist have been doing an excellent job. Whenever that happens, this will be the priority before we can find ourselves ready for international cricket," Arun was quoted as saying by the TOI.

The Ministry of Home Affairs, on Sunday, allowed stadiums to be made available for sportspersons for training purposes and hence that opens the window for the BCCI to get the team management to start the camp while maintaining safety protocols. In this light, Arun further stated that while the physical aspect of the cricketers will be taken care of, the mental health of players is also very important in keeping them motivated. 

"It's a challenge that has to be looked as an opportunity. It's a rare window because this kind of time will never be available in a professional career. There's a lot of time to work on fitness - physical and mental. The latter is extremely crucial. It's extremely important to remain motivated, be ready to return to full flight when the time comes," Arun added. 

According to Arun, all professional sportspersons are like racehorses, all they want to do is play their sport. So until and unless on-field training resumes, their biggest challenge remains is to stay back home and do optimum training that is possible behind closed doors.

"How long can you keep a racehorse locked up? The horse has to run because that's the only thing it knows. For a professional sportsperson, to be sitting at home doing nothing can be very frustrating. Not being able to expend that energy is like a curse. It can be boring, can be extremely monotonous. But there's no choice and therefore it's a challenge that has to be taken up," stated Arun.