Contracted Indian Players Will Have To Follow Fitness Plan During IPL Too, Says BCCI: Report

A fitness plan has been enforced by the BCCI to ensure optimum fitness and to avoid untimely injuries to players who are slated to play the ICC World Cups in 2022 and 2023.

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The contracted Indian cricketers, part of the national squad, will have to follow the fitness plan designed by the National Cricket Academy (NCA), even during the two months of IPL, reported The Indian Express. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) took this decision to avoid untimely injuries to players in view of the upcoming World Cups. 

Earlier, NCA and the Indian team management were kept in dark about the fitness regimes of players, while the Indian Premier League (IPL) was played. 

The physios, trainers, and coaches, along with Rahul Dravid will be in touch with the players during the IPL to stick to the fitness plan designed by the NCA. The BCCI has also informed the IPL about this development. 

Team India will play T20 World Cup later this year and also the 50-over World Cup in 2023. These steps - regarding the fitness plan - have been taken so that the players are ready with optimum fitness at the World Cups. 

The NCA is also holding a two-week fitness camp ahead of IPL 2022 for the Indian players who are not part of India vs Sri Lanka Test series. 

“For us, fitness is paramount and we want our players to be fully fit before any bilateral series or international game. We have a fitness camp at the NCA and, going ahead, similar camps will be held. The goal is to have everyone on the same page when it comes to following the fitness plan set by the BCCI,” Shah told The Indian Express.

Meanwhile, the players have been told that they can opt-out of NCA's fitness plan if they find it too difficult to follow during the IPL.