The IPL is the engine that drives India’s might in world cricket. Over the last 17 years, it has generated mind-numbing revenues besides being a talent-spinning tool in Indian cricket. Yet, it’s hard to dismiss the franchise-vs-country debate every time the IPL season comes around.
Jasprit Bumrah’s half-walk-half-hop run-up and Mohammed Shami’s smooth approach towards the bowling crease may be a pulsating viewing experience, but there’s persisting apprehension over their fitness.
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India’s Test cricket is at a crossroads currently. With a five-Test tour scheduled to start 25 days after the IPL final, all eyes will be on Bumrah, Shami and other prospective pacers over the next two months. The window would have been shorter had India qualified for the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
First things first. Bumrah is yet to obtain a fitness certificate from BCCI medical team at the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru. He hasn’t taken the field for India since he was forced out due to injury in the first innings of Sydney Test in the first week of Jan.
Shami appears to have regained some rhythm during the victorious Champions Trophy campaign after having missed 14 months of cricket.
There’s unease in BCCI over how the medical team has dealt with injuries in the last few years. The board is in process of overhauling its medical team once incumbent head Nitin Patel finishes his notice period this month. The concern is the medical team has been reluctant to be accountable while declaring a player’s fitness. It’s often left to selectors who are just told that the player is clinically fit. Whether the player is match-fit is not known.
‘Workload management’ has been the catchphrase in Indian cricket in the last decade. Yet, the IPL becomes an exception when the players walk into their franchises. The franchises dole out huge money for two months of service. There’s very little wiggle room once the BCCI clears the players from its CoE (formerly the National Cricket Academy).
It’s not just about Bumrah who is expected to start his IPL campaign for Mumbai Indians in the second week of April. There’s Akash Deep, who too is undergoing rehab at the CoE. Harshit Rana, identified as India’s next frontline pacer, has endured a long season going into the IPL.
The core focus of workload management has revolved around injury management in the last three years. But the results of treating recurrent injuries have not been inspiring enough.
When it comes to the IPL, BCCI’s role ends once they give all-clear to a player who had earlier reported with an injury. The franchise’s in-house medical team takes over once the players get into an IPL season. The question is, does BCCI lose all rights over the players? Not really.
The introduction of standardised workload management SOPs and wearable devices keep providing all the data. The contracted BCCI players are given Athlete Management System (AMS) vests and the whoop bands (which are worn as watches on the wrists). These devices offer enough data about their physical activities, recovery and sleep cycle. The BCCI trusts its players.
Bumrah, per se, has been through all kinds of rehab and training routines. BCCI’s medical team devises personalised routines according to data of a player. The players adhere to it and routines are usually shared with the franchise’ physios and strength and conditioning coaches.
Sources close to India’s team management and selectors say they trust the judgement of a player whenever the player feels any kind of discomfort.
“The players, especially the bowlers, are well educated. They understand what’s at stake for them. One has to go by the player’s instinct,” a BCCI source told TOI.
For all the talk about whether a player of Bumrah’s stature should put his body through the thankless schedule of the IPL, the bottom line says it’s the BCCI medical team’s responsibility to ensure a player is always available to play if he is not injured.
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