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'Everybody's body is different': Kapil Dev weighs in on what India players require amid injury troubles
India have a long list of star players who have been out for a considerable period of time due to injuries.
As India gear up for the ODI World Cup that the country hosts later this year, the team management is fretting over injuries to a number of star names who would have been regulars in the squad. Among them, and arguably the most notable, is fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who has been out for much of 2022 and 2023 and is now expected to make his comeback in India's upcoming tour of Ireland.
Apart from Bumrah, regular India stars who have been out for lengthy durations and are yet to make a comeback include KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Deepak Chahar and Rishabh Pant. While Pant's absence is due to a horrific road accident he suffered at the turn of the year, Iyer, Rahul and Chahar's on and off injury issues have led to them missing major series and tournaments and also affected their own personal consistency.
Former India captain and legendary all-rounder Kapil Dev has said that managing a player's body has become important considering the amount of cricket that they play nowadays. “My time was different as we hardly played so much cricket. Now, these players are playing some 10 months of cricket. So, managing your body is important to keep away from injuries. Everybody's body is different and they would require individual plans to preserve their fitness,” said Kapil according to TOI.
“India will always be favourites”
Kapil, who in 1983 became the first Indian captain to have won the World Cup, said that while he can't talk about how he thinks the 2023 tournament will pan out, India will always be favourites. "I don't know how it will pan out. They are yet to announce the team for the World Cup. India will always enter a tournament as favourites as it has been the case for a long time," said Kapil.
The 2023 World Cup will start from October 5, with the final scheduled to be played on November 19. India's opening game will be against five-time champions Australia on October 8. This is the first time that India exclusively host the tournament. The country has previously co-hosted with either Pakistan, Sri Lanka or Bangladesh in the past. “It's all about how the team comes to terms with the expectations from all sides. We have won a World Cup at home, and I am sure the team, whoever gets selected, can do it again. A World Cup is coming in four years, and I hope the players will be fully prepared,” said Kapil.
