RCB strength and conditioning coach Basu Shanker, who is often held responsible for the fitness transformation of Team India has opined that the long break from cricket has helped Virat Kohli to become an even better athlete. The pandemic triggered lockdown had forced the cricketers to stay away from the game. Indian skipper Virat Kohli was stuck at his home in Mumbai for 5 months, during which he focused on his strength and skill training and also enhancing all the weak spots.
The 13th edition of IPL was originally scheduled to kick off from March 29 was postponed indefinitely after April 15 due to the rising number of coronavirus cases in the nation. The postponing of the World Cup to 2021 gave the IPL a window to be conducted in September.
Virat Kohli, Image Credit: Twitter.
Virat Kohli has come back in even better shape than before: Basu Shanker
Virat Kohli is back in the nets training in UAE for the IPL after a long break. The break has only bettered his shape according to RCB’s strength and conditioning coach. Shanker also told Kohli’s movement patterns in the nets are in sync with his best form in the past.
“He (Kohli) has come back in much better shape. He is at his best weight at the moment and his movement patterns are pretty much in sync with his best self in the past,” Basu told PTI from Dubai.
Virat Kohli. Image Credit: Getty Images.
“He has taken this break as an opportunity to work on all the pointers which needed attention from a physical point. I guess his motto to life is ‘Bear the cross and wear the crown’,” he added.
RCB players will be match ready soon: Basu Shanker
Basu Shanker explained Kohli’s training drills at home which helped to be at the best of his shape. Virat Kohli will lead his side once again in the IPL in hopes of lifting the title for the first time and he is more than ready to do so,
“He had the time to be very specific with his meal plans and running intervals at home. He did not have much of a choice during the lockdown and he invested on a treadmill and worked on his endurance which is otherwise not possible during a packed calendar. For ground reaction forces every now and then, he did shuttle running in his apartment which had a little space. With all these constraints the attitude stood out more than the workout. Apart from that, his customised strength work to compliment that was his mantra during the lockout. So a combination of running and strength work and he kept it simple by just following this to the T,” said Basu.
Virat Kohli with his RCB teammates. Image Credit: Getty Images.
Shanker also told all the players in the squad are in decent shape and will be match ready soon. The complete new coaching staff appointed by RCB is taking well care of the players.
Since most of them have arrived in decent shape physically it’s only a matter of time they are match ready. With regards to assessing a player’s fitness – most of the workouts are a test in itself. As a coach, we have to be prudent that they tick the right boxes and drills which can be an assessment. The coaching director (Mike Hesson) and the head coach (Simon Katich) and the entire support group are aware of a long layoff and ergo the planning with regards to the length of practice times, humidity, temperature, and recovery is something we have worked as a team. There is no fool proof algorithm for it but a sensible approach is what we are treading on.”
In 177 matches for the Bengaluru-based franchise, Virat Kohli has scored 5412 runs, including five centuries, and is the highest run-getter in the IPL. RCB have never won the IPL, however, they have reached the final thrice, under three different captains but the IPL title has never got in their hands.
IPL 2020 will begin from September 19 till November 10, a total 53-day campaign will see all the eight teams play in UAE. The venue this time is UAE and matches will be played in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah.
