India men’s cricket team bowling coach Bharat Arun said that dedication to the training methods is the reason the fast bowlers of the country are able to consistently clock good speed and produce results at the international level.
Arun was speaking to Indian women team’s head coach WV Raman during a video chat show titled Inside Out and said that the scientific nature of modern training has played a crucial rule in the improvement of Ishant Sharma and Co while also talking about the importance of good equipment.
“The equipment has come a long way since the days we started playing. Having a good pair of shoes then was a luxury,” said Arun before adding that the lack of proper footwear, playing on low quality grounds and wrong work ethics played a part in his knee injury.
Arun said the GPS trackers currently used by cricketers play an important role in workload management.
“When we talk of workload management, we are looking at the number of overs a bowler has bowled. In essence the tracker helps to monitor all the movements of a bowler in the cricket field. For example, a bowler runs around the equivalent of 20km on the field. And the tracker gives us a lot of data and information about the bowler concerned. It helps us immensely in managing the workload for bowlers,” the former India cricketer, who played two Tests and four ODIs, added.
“Science of training helps a lot. The way the Indian fast bowlers train, the results are there for you to see. They are very serious about their training schedules and do not miss a session. This has contributed to them being not only fit but also bowl consistently above 140 kph,” Arun said.
Arun also likened video analysis to be like fire, very helpful when used judiciously but harmful when excessive.
“Basically, you need to find the right balance between training for fitness and skill-work. The two aspects need to complement each other. You cannot overwork on skill and forget training, that’s no good and neither is vice-versa,” he added.
Arun also spoke about how youngsters are attracted towards the art of fast bowling. “The sheer thrill of being a fast bowler is mind-boggling,” he said.
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