Published: Oct 21, 2011, 10:50 AM (IST)
Edited: Aug 23, 2014, 02:34 AM (IST)
By Nishad Pai Vaidya
The absence of Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Zaheer Khan and Yuvraj Singh hasn’t affected Team India in the ongoing one-day series against England. Unlike their recent away series against the same rivals, India looks in complete command despite the absence of several stalwarts.
The youngsters have done a splendid job so far, making the job of the selectors very tough when the senior pros regain their fitness to reclaim their places in the side.
India’s tour of Australia starting in late December is what everybody is eagerly awaiting. It’s imperative that India have all their players fit for the fray. It’s important, thus, that the recuperating seniors aren’t rushed into international cricket as they were on the tour of England.
None of them will play a part in the remainder of the ODI series or the one-off T20 game against England. That means that they might aim a comeback when West Indies visits India in November.
Sachin Tendulkar’s recovery from a toe injury is on track and he has started training. The Test series against West Indies starts on November 6. Hopefully, he would be 100% fit by then.
However, Sehwag’s ill-fated comeback in England and Tendulkar’s similar return in 2004 should not be forgotten. In 2004, Tendulkar suffered the infamous tennis elbow which kept him out of action for months. He was drafted into the team without any match practice to face the touring Australians who were threatening to beat India in their own backyard. In his comeback game at Nagpur, Tendulkar looked rusty and wasn’t able to make an impact.
Similarly, when Sehwag returned to competitive cricket in England earlier this year, he struggled to score runs and didn’t look a 100%. In fact, he was withdrawn from the one-day squad because his shoulder hadn’t healed properly.
If they are declared fit, they should play a few domestic matches before making their way into the Indian squad as there is no comparison between match play and net practice. Luckily, India’s domestic season is under way and that would give the two batsmen a chance to get some valuable time in the middle before getting into Team India gear.
General physical fitness and match fitness are vastly different. A player may be fit enough to run around and do a few exercises, but that does not necessarily mean he is fit enough to bear the rigors of the heat of a match battle ground.
Currently, India’s domestic sides are competing in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, the inter-state T20 tournament. The Ranji Trophy starts on November 3, which is three days before the start of the West Indies tour. It would be in the fitness of things – pun unintended – if Tendulkar turns up for Mumbai in their opening Ranji Trophy encounter against Railways on November 3. The last day of that encounter would be the first day of India’s series against the West Indies. It makes long-term sense that Tendulkar shows up in the domestic game than rushed into an international game. There is no harm in missing a Test match or two keeping India’s and his long-term interests in mind.
Sehwag should go along similar lines and play for Delhi – whenever his shoulder heals. Such an outing will not only give them match practice, after spending months away from the game.
Injury management was one of the major issues that came to fore during India’s disastrous tour of England. Whether the BCCI, the team management and the players have learnt from the bitter lesson on that tour will have to be seen.
(Nishad Pai Vaidya, a 21-year-old law student, is a club and college-level cricketer. His teachers always complain, “He knows the stats and facts of cricket more than the subjects we teach him.”)
