Fatigue syndrome

Wicketkeeping by itself is a mentally strenuous job and if the ’keeper happens to be the captain and also a frontline batsman, then one can imagine the amount of mental fatigue that Dhoni must be undergoing after every game.-RAJEEV BHATT

Apart from the physical fitness, a fresh and willing mind is equally important for a cricketer to perform at his best.

Ritchie Richardson, the former West Indies captain, was probably the first cricketer to take a sabbatical from the game due to fatigue syndrome. The latest to do so is the flamboyant Indian ODI skipper M. S. Dhoni. His decision to skip the Test series in Sri Lanka does not come as a surprise as he has been clocking too many days on the field apart from the hectic travelling involved these days. I had written in my earlier column that there was every possibility that Dhoni was bound to feel jaded and perhaps his decision to rest has come a bit sooner than expected. His criticism of the Asia Cup schedule did not win him any admirers in the administrative circles as some unwarranted snappy statements were issued by some administrators. Dhoni was merely expressing his views on how taxing it is when schedules are packed so tightly.

One can argue that the cricketers have a very good support system in place but if it is all about physical fitness, the argument has its merit. Apart from the physical fitness, a fresh and willing mind is equally important for a cricketer to perform at his best. Dhoni apparently is not fresh mentally and he cannot be blamed for being honest about it. However, cynics might view the timing of his announcement as a retort to the statements of the administrators. In Dhoni’s case, it is more taxing than that of a batsman or a bowler as he does multi-tasking by virtue of being a wicketkeeper-batsman. Under normal circumstances wicketkeeping by itself is a mentally strenuous job and if the ’keeper happens to be the captain and also a frontline batsman, then one can imagine the amount of mental fatigue that Dhoni must be undergoing after every game.

The need to preserve bowlers by playing them on rotation is a widely supported theory but obviously it is not endorsed in the case of a ’keeper. While the fast bowlers need to be preserved no doubt, they are more prone to physical injuries and not mental fatigue. I am not implying that fast bowlers lack grey cells but once they bowl their overs, they get some respite in between. Moreover, a bowler need not be as focussed as a ’keeper needs to be, which means that a ’keeper tires probably five times more than a bowler does in a one-day game at least. This raises the question of how much strain can a modern day cricketer take, given the spate of injuries of late. While the rotation theory has its merit and can be one way of reducing injuries and mental fatigue, the real solution lies in a well spaced out schedule.

With the ICC looking at any and every possible means to draw the crowds to the grounds, a reduction of matches per year can probably help in reducing injuries and mental fatigue. This will enable the countries to field their best combinations on a regular basis and the reduced frequency of matches will make the spectators look forward to watching a game. Coming back to Dhoni, he has at least been up front in accepting that he was not really up to it as there have been instances of players hiding injuries. Such instances have been few and far between but the players have got away at times by playing when they were not totally fit.

Until now, the Indian cricketers have been fortunate enough not to be pressurised by their families to take a break unlike some of their contemporaries in other countries. A hectic schedule has rocked the family lives of a few well accomplished players in the past and the likelihood of that happening in the future is a strong possibility. The ICC and the officials of the respective Boards have to realise that no amount of compensation can make the players fight nature in that the body as well as the mind needs adequate recovery time. A lot of thought goes into making the game attractive for spectators but unfortunately the ICC somehow seems to miss out on working out ways and means to plan a schedule that will not tax the players too much. Then, of course, how much is too much is something that the players have to clearly spell out and impress upon the administrators to stick to the acceptable quantum of cricket.

The BCCI has voiced its opinion strongly on many counts and hopefully it will take the lead in getting the ICC to revise the FTP wherein the players as well as the spectators are not subjected to an overdose of cricket. Dhoni has given the BCCI enough reason to take up the issue and despite the hasty remark by one of the officials, I am sure it will be worthwhile to pay heed to genuine concerns of the players.

After all, the BCCI has ensured that their cricketers are financially secure through contracts and hefty pay cheques. Now it is time to preserve the cricketers to ensure that they serve the nation for a long time.