Cricket in COVID-19: ICC wants format-specific training for bowlers

In Test cricket, one would require eight to 12 weeks of preparation period, the final 4-5-week period would involve match intensity bowling.

India fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah at a training session.

 

Bowlers will have a high risk of injury once they return to action after a period of enforced time-out. And in its latest guidelines, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has stated that a bowler would require minimum five to six weeks of preparation period — of which the last three weeks would involve match intensity bowling — to feature in T20Is.

In ODIs, bowlers would require a minimum six-week preparation period, the final three weeks would involve match intensity bowling, whereas for Test cricket, one would require a minimum of eight to 12 weeks of preparation period, the final 4-5-week period would involve match intensity bowling.

“These are dependent on a multifactorial assessment with age of bowlers, injury history, bowling technique and speed and lifetime overs, amongst others,” the ICC stated in its guidelines.

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“Bowling loads therefore need to be developed progressively, with adequate rest built into a return programme and based on match intensity overs per week…” the guideline stated.

“Research suggests a seven-week period of shut down can see two per cent bone loss in the spine that takes up to 24 weeks to replace. The protective effect of older age groups may not apply to other injury categories with the potential for deconditioning in relation to musculotendinous injuries and capacity requiring a more careful preparation period,” the guideline stated.

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With no international cricket for the last couple of months, most of the cricketers have been stuck at home and have done only basic indoor training.

They would certainly need a long time to get back in shape.