Rohit Sharma, the captain of India, said that it is “up to the franchise” to decide how much work each player has to do during the IPL. He also thought players would only leave if they had to.
Rohit said this after the ODI series against Australia ended: “Now, everything depends on the franchise.” They now belong to franchises. We’ve given them some hints or things close to the line. But in the end, it’s up to the teams, and most of all, it’s up to the players. They must take care of themselves. All of them are adults. So they must take care of their bodies and make changes if they feel it’s too much. They can talk about it and take a break every 1-2 games if needed. “I don’t think that will happen,” said Rohit.
The statement was made because many of India’s key players have been hurt, leading people to ask questions about managing player workloads. India needs to include some of their best players, like Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant, and Shreyas Iyer, who did not play in the recent India-Australia series.
“It is concerning because it is concerning if the players are unavailable.” And we need guys from the playing XI squad. They are usually included in the starting lineup. Honestly, everyone is working hard to get everyone onto the park. We’ve been concentrating a lot on player management. As a result, as you can see, we have to rest various players at different times. We could handle things from our end. I’m not an expert, so I can’t tell you why the injuries keep happening. “Of course, our medical team is looking into all of this and ensuring that we have our top 15 players ready for the World Cup,” Rohit stated.
“With so much cricket, injuries are inevitable.” So don’t overthink it—control what’s in your hands. Holding what’s in your hands, not what’s available. We’re working to manage it. Players are also upset. They’d rather play than miss out. Though sad, you can’t do much. I can attest that the behind-the-scenes staff is working hard with these athletes. A freakish injury might happen anytime. The best example is Shreyas. After sitting all day, he took a knock and injured himself. It’s hopeless. “We can only manage players and give them enough weeks, and I think we’re doing that,” he said.
With the World Test Championship final a week after the IPL, player preparation has been scrutinized. Rohit suggested that IPL eliminations may be sent to England before the final at The Oval.
Mohammed Shami was also asked about his workload earlier in the series, and he said, “There’s still time for the WTC Final and the World Cup, and as a player, I can’t think that far ahead.” You have yet to determine what will happen the next day. You have to be smart about how you handle your work. When you play cricket at the international level, you know how much you need to improve. You know your body well, so you shouldn’t consider the long term. Instead, take it one step at a time.
“I know my body well and can handle the workload, so I’m taking it match by match.”
