A batsman can make do with yoga and weight training. But for merchants of speed, former India pacer Ashish Nehra felt the absence of running for more than three months at a stretch could affect fitness levels.
According to him, the fast bowlers will have to start running sooner or later.
With sporting activities coming to a standstill, elite athletes are confined to their homes, trying to remain fit.
“Let’s consider a few situations. Even if the lockdown ends on April 15, it will take a lot of time for life to become normal.
Long break
“I am not expecting any cricketing activity before July. So this is a long break but once action starts, fast bowlers have the biggest challenge to remain fit,” Nehra said.
“Lack of running time for fast bowlers is an issue. So whoever has a garden with say 15 metres or 20 metres space, they should do shuttle run thrice a week,” said Nehra.
He had a word of advice for those who had sprawling terraces with soil and grass cover.
“It’s fine if you are doing ‘Surya Namaskar’ on the terrace, but if you start doing shuttle run, you will end up damaging your knees and ankles because of the hard surface.”
Nehra also had a word of caution for the fast bowlers. “Zaheer Khan and Nehra can afford to come back from the lockdown with a paunch, not active players. So a break from sport doesn’t mean you will have biryani.”