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Former India fitness coach explains how players like Dhoni and Yuvraj played in all three formats injury-free

Srinivasan further wrote recalling how the likes of MS Dhoni, Yuvraj, Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh ans Zaheer Khan featured in all three formats ten years ago.

MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh

Bengaluru, December 16: Former Team India fitness coach Ramji Srinivasan has explained how the likes of Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh played injury-free in all three formats of the game a decade ago.

Team India have been rocked by injury as skipper Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Shami are four names that can play in all three formats, but the quartet have been forced to sit out of tournaments or series.

At a time when Indian cricket team has been hit by injuries, there has been calls for using different teams for different formats and one of the reason for that is workload management. Many experts have also said that India's hectic schedule is one of the reasons behind so many players getting injured.

England cricket team have used specialists in each format to manage the workload. Teams like India can also follow the similar path with the kind of talent pool at their disposal.

Now, former strength and conditioning coach of the Indian team, Ramji Srinivasan, who was with the side during the 2011 World Cup-winning campaign when most of the players featured in all three formats, has weighed in on the issue.

"Picking specialists for each format is a call that has to be taken by the selectors and the coaching staff. But if the selectors decide that a player is going to feature in all three formats, it is the duty of the strength and conditioning coach to keep the player fit," Srinivasan wrote for Indian Express.

Srinivasan further wrote recalling how the likes of MS Dhoni, Yuvraj, Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh ans Zaheer Khan featured in all three formats ten years ago.

"There is nothing wrong in players featuring in all three formats. Don't forget, 10 years ago, you had MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan featuring in all three formats," Srinivasan added.

"Players understood their body and were smart enough to know what worked for them. And they shouldn't follow what an S&C says blindly. They should ask questions."

Srinivasan revealed there is a lot that is involved when it comes to fitness including ones diet, training and travels.

"Playing three formats is an evolution of the game and as far as fitness goes, everything is possible. But for that, testing, screening, training, plan & travel and diet schedule have to be finalised accordingly," Srinivasan said.

The former strength and conditioning coach also added that fitness is not the only criteria to play in all three formats, but one needs the skill and needs adequate training as per the age.

"There will be players who are equipped to play all three formats and only skill should determine it, not fitness. If there is an all-format player, he has to be trained accordingly. And as a player ages, one has to factor in that as well. Virat Kohli can't be following the same process now that he was doing four years ago."

Story first published: Friday, December 16, 2022, 11:34 [IST]
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