Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar has raised concerns over the rising number of back injuries among fast bowlers, pointing to their growing reliance on heavy gym training as a possible cause. Gavaskar believes that during his era, such injuries were far less common—mainly because bowlers focused on sport-specific fitness rather than weightlifting.
Speaking on air, during the ongoing Edgbaston Test, Gavaskar responded to a question about how former greats like Kapil Dev and Javagal Srinath managed to play continuous cricket despite having limited access to modern technology and recovery tools.
“How did they play? I think their training was a little bit different. Kapil (Dev) was hardly ever in the gym. He was running around, running around and then he was bowling to about five or six batters in the nets. Then he would come in again and bat himself and bowl to a couple more,” Gavaskar said.
“So basically he was doing what his profession required. What his expertise required which is bowl, bowl and bowl. So his bowling muscles and the whole body was used to bowling. He was a brilliant athlete. I think he could have been a champion in any sport. He did what his profession required. It was to play cricket, practise cricket,” he added.
Gavaskar has previously made similar remarks, questioning the current trend of prioritising gym workouts over traditional methods like long-distance running and extended net sessions. He argues that these newer training regimes might not adequately prepare a bowler’s body for the rigours of international cricket, especially in longer formats.
In recent years, several Indian fast bowlers have suffered recurring injuries. Premier pacer Jasprit Bumrah has faced multiple setbacks and is being carefully managed—featuring in only three of the five Tests against England to manage his workload.
Senior bowler Mohammed Shami has also been plagued by injuries, while young quicks like Mayank Yadav and Umran Malik have often found themselves on the sidelines due to fitness issues.
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