ROLE OF RECOVERY PARAMOUNT

Continuous cricket makes the support staff's responsibilities crucial, says ex-India strength & conditioning coach

- FIROZ MIRZA

IT’S the first time I have done anything like this in 15 years of cricket”. That’s how Virat Kohli reacted on being asked about another match in a few hours after being adjudged player of the match for his blistering unbeaten century against Pakistan on Monday night.

The Super Four match, which started on Sunday, had spilled over to reserve day due to heavy downpour here in Colombo. It’s worth noticing that initially the contest held at the R Premadasa Stadium didn’t have a reserve day. However, once the Group A encounter between the two arch-rivals got washed out in Pallekele, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the original hosts, literally coerced the Asian Cricket Council into allotting the reserve day to the contest.

Seemingly, it served the PCB’s purpose as the reserve day was in fact utilised to complete the contest but it also made Indian cricketers to play for three straight days, something unheard of especially in the limited-overs cricket.