There is certainly no doubt about the fact that Team India is currently the fittest team in world cricket and it has been largely possible due to former strength and conditioning coach Shankar Basu whose stint with the Indian team concluded with the 2019 World Cup. He came into the fray four years back when India was looking for a fitness culture. In the last 4 years, the Indian players have improved by leaps and bounds and are arguably the fittest team in world cricket with their skipper Virat Kohli leading the way.
Shankar Basu revealed an extraordinary fact about Virat Kohli. He revealed that the Indian skipper hasn’t taken a single cheat day in the last two years. Basu is also satisfied with the progress of fast bowlers like Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah.
“When I started it was a challenge to transform the culture, now 90 per cent of the team trains very professionally. There will always be one or two in every team who require the extra push,” Basu was quoted as saying during an exclusive interview with PTI on Friday. His contract with the Indian team ended on 30th July. He has also worked with players like KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Ishant Sharma, Dinesh Karthik and Ravichandran Ashwin.
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He also stated that Ravindra Jadeja is a natural athlete and knows his body inside out. Basu also rated Jaddu as the best fielder in the world. The conditioning coach could have got an extension but he decided against it as he feels he needs to move onto the next phase in his life and spend some valuable time with his family.
“Looking back, I came at the right juncture (in 2015). The Indian team was looking for changes and that was one of the responsibilities thrust on me, to bring about the culture. To be very honest I was very blessed with a set of boys who were looking for this change.
“When I joined I made a pact with myself that I will tirelessly work to bring in the much-needed improvisations and culture to augment the team’s needs. I was very fortunate to work with a coaching and support team which allowed me to make independent decisions with regards to training.
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“Most of the boys had already worked with me during their under-19 days and it was easy to sell the concepts.”
He also heaped praise on Viray Kohli and stated that having a captain like Kohli helped him to be more effective in his job. “When you see someone like him, it is difficult not to be inspired,” said Basu.
“His cheat days come once in a blue moon, I have not seen him take one in the last two years. I am telling you that fellow is a freak. There will be months together he would go on and I would force him to take rest.”