‘A much-needed break’ sounds good during a hectic schedule… and this is what modern cricket believes in—especially when it comes to skipping a pre-match practice session, as Indian and West Indies players did ahead of the third One-Day International, scheduled at the Maharaja Yadavindra PCA International Stadium in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh, on Saturday.
With ‘too much’ cricket around, cricketers these days often opt to skip customary training sessions on the eve of matches, especially in a series like this—where a team has already won two of the three games.
Even in Mullanpur, fans and the media waited for a glimpse of the cricketers during the expected training session on Friday. But, having already sealed the series, travelled across three cities in the last six days and played some excellent cricket, both teams decided to give it a miss.
Though this will be the first-ever men’s ODI at Mullanpur, most of the cricketers have played plenty of cricket here during Indian Premier League (IPL) matches and are well aware of the conditions.
The support staff of both teams did the rest of the work, as some members arrived, looked at the track, interacted with the media and then headed back to their respective hotels.
“Besides physical fatigue, it’s also about tackling mental stress. In this case, the series started on September 27, and the teams have already played two matches before playing the third on the sixth day. So, such short breaks always help in better physical and mental recovery. All these players are obviously playing ‘too much’ cricket and don’t really need to be pushed to train every day,” said Atul Sehdev, a physiotherapist who has also worked with IPL teams.
Not only in such series, but even during ICC tournaments, many teams sometimes opt for optional training. In this series, both teams also have to play five T20 internationals at five different venues between October 6 and October 17.
“The sport looks good from the outside, but a player has to tackle many aspects. Sportspersons these days are no longer asked to follow customary schedules, and providing them with space to feel free and manage their workload is a must. This is why such teams have a vast and experienced support staff, so that players feel they are in a safe environment,” said Anita Mankotia, a psychiatrist.
“Sitting in a hotel room is also not easy, and to release mental pressure, the management organises meetings and activities. Some players also opt for outings,” she added.
