Gavaskar emphasised that it is important to be “match-fit” and not “gym-fit”. From Jasprit Bumrah to Hardik Pandya , Sai Sudharsan to Harshit Rana , Team India’s repeated injury concerns have invited a lot of scrutiny in recent weeks. The BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) has also come under pressure, with the likes of Bumrah and Harshit getting injured shortly after coming back into action. Legendary India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has defended the CoE, instead implying that the fault must lie in the training methods for the players.
Even in the IPL, it is learnt that some of the overseas physios don’t allow the bowlers to bowl more than 20 balls in the nets. If in the match you will be bowling 24 balls, that is, if you don’t bowl no-balls and wides, then how is bowling a lesser number in the nets going to help?” he further wrote. “The so-called biomechanics, where a bowler can bowl only so many deliveries in the practice nets, is a questionable practice. “It’s an issue that needs a good, hard look at why these injuries are happening again and again. It is more important to be match fit than gym fit. But then, maybe I am from a generation that had different ideas on fitness,” Gavaskar added.
Recurring injuries to the likes of Bumrah and Hardik have hampered Team India in their race to reach the World Test Championship (WTC) 2027 final and their preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
