One of the hardest things to do for a sportsman is to play at a terrific level the previous day and then lift himself up and try and do the same the next day. More often than not, he/she may play at a high level but perhaps the intensity and focus may not be as it was the previous day. Certainly the body will not feel the same for there will invariably be niggles here and there from the previous day’s efforts and stiffness in joints and arms. Of course modern day cool down methods do mean that the player is able to recapture most of the body fluids lost the previous day and ice baths and such ensure that any cramping is minimum. Younger players do have a faster recovery but older players are smarter in the manner in which they handle any niggles from the previous day.
In cricket the limited overs variety is the format that takes a lot out of the players with its frenetic non-stop action and that’s why there is usually a couple of days rest between the matches for the teams. This allows the physio to treat the little strains that a player has and even a more serious injury can be dealt with given a couple of days break and the player readied for the next game.
That’s also the reason why a physical trainer has become such an important part of international and even domestic teams because fitness has become crucial and often is the difference between winning and losing. Mental strength also is necessary but if a player is physically unfit then his mind is also going to give in quicker than if he was fitter.
A win is always great for both the body and the mind and the recovery from physical and mental fatigue is faster after a win than after a loss when the whys and hows of the loss tend to stay on in the mind and make a person a lot more pessimistic.
India requested the Sri Lankan Board to play its two games back to back because the team was going to arrive late after playing the Corporate Trophy in India. India play the hosts Lanka on the day after playing New Zealand and that’s going to be the hard part. The hosts will have had a good three days rest that will more than take care of any niggles that their players may have had after their game against the Kiwis. It is here that India will have to show that they have what it takes to be the No. 1 team in the world. It’s not just about physical fitness but about the mental attitude too and if India shows the determination and grit to get to that ranking then playing back to back even in the energy sapping heat of Colombo should not be too much of a problem. It is only the beginning of the season and the Indians are playing international cricket after a gap of two months but well begun is half done, as the saying goes and if India wins then it will be a season to look forward to.
— Professional Management Group
