Breaking The Age Barriers

From Rohan Bopanna to Lebron James, modern athletes are bending the limits of the age, flourishing well beyond the traditional ageing curve in sports, with the help of modern science and mindfulness

- By Ravi Raj

When India clasped the Champions Trophy title last month, Shubman Gill stood out as the only member of the team yet to touch thirty. It was an ageing squad, with ten players aged above 30, led by the captain Rohit Sharma, 37, the eldest figure in the team. In contrast, in the 2013 Champions Trophy, only two players in the Indian squad were above the age of 30. Yet, there was nothing about this team, during the two weeks they spent in the sweltering heat of Dubai, that gave any indication that they lacked youthful exuberance. It was a team brimming with zest and vitality. Rohit, 37, and Virat, 36, even had a fun exchange during the celebration where the Indian captain said “We are not retiring yet”, followed by some colourful expletives. It is not unprecedented to see cricketers pushing beyond the usual ageing curve, but what's extraordinary about this Indian team is the fact that most of the players in their 30s are in their prime, and they are showing no signs of slowing down.

This phenomenon is not specific to cricket alone. Elsewhere, Novak Djokovic, 37, is still a force majeure in the tennis circuit; Cristiano Ronaldo, 40, plays every game with the same tenacity; Luka Modric,39, is still raging against dying lights in his white shirt; Lewis Hamilton, 40, signed a blockbuster deal with Ferrari; Rohan Bopanna, 43, became the oldest tennis player to reach number one in men's doubles rankings; and Lebron James, 40, recently became the first NBA player to share the court with his son Bronnie—can there ever be a better statement of longevity than this? What is common among all these outliers is the drive and hunger to chase sporting immortality, which is not possible without iron-willed discipline and complete devotion towards their bodies. After all, the body is their only currency.