Injured players, canceled camp and a hungry MS Dhoni - a heady concoction brewing in the new year for team India

After the great success achieved by Virat Kohli and his young side, it’s now MS Dhoni’s turn to take the field as the captain.

Dhoni appears ready and fit to perform after a long gap of two months. However, team India’s proposed conditioning camp in early January at Bengaluru - before the start of the India-England ODI series - has been called off. It is said that Virat Kohli and few other senior cricketers did not feel the need for it as most of them have been playing non-stop.

To me, this poses a major problem.

It is understood that head coach Anil Kumble had initiated the move for the conditioning camp to help the players regroup after the England Test series in the presence of one-day captain MS Dhoni.

The camp would have also enabled the captain and the team management to assess the fitness levels of players in the limited-overs squad.

Fitness woes return to haunt the team

In recent times, fitness poses a great problem as many important players are struggling with injuries.

R Ashwin, who had an amazing series against England, is struggling with ‘sports hernia’. Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma has had an operation and is still a doubtful starter. Add to that list the names of Ajinkya Rahane, Mohammad Shami, Hardik Pandya, Akshar Patel and you have half of what would have been a formidable unit, caught on the sidelines.

With so many players injured and those that played in the Test matches demanding a rest, at least the younger players who are going to be in the one-day side should have regrouped with Dhoni at the camp.

BCCI always permits cricketers who are unfit or fatigued to take due rest. According to me, with just because few cricketers demanding a rest, the camp should not have been called off. A senior player seeking a break could have been allowed to rest but those who have played international cricket sparingly should have gone through the camp.

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The current Test team is flooded with several newcomers and youngsters who I don’t think deserve such a long rest. Big breaks are always good for cricketers when you are not performing but when you’re at the top of your form, cricketers always want to keep that touch going. Sometimes, such a long break can prove to put-off your form.

Anil Kumble will not be happy with the camp he planned not materialising.

2017 is going to be a big challenge for Dhoni as only three one-day matches are on the calendar before the Champion’s Trophy. Any captain would prefer a fit and appropriately suited combination but this would not be possible as the injured list continues to grow and cricketers demand a rest.

With no camp in place, injuries and limited time to assess players, the selectors are bound to find it difficult to pick the right combination. Only time will tell what sort of team Dhoni will get as selection is due in the first week of January.

India will start their one-day encounter against England on the 15th January 2017 at Pune. It will be a big challenge for Dhoni as his performance in 2016 may not have been up to the lofty standards we know of.

With 278 runs from thirteen ODIs at an average of 28.80 and just only one half century, there’s no denying that he has really struggled with the bat this year.

After 2005, this year must have been the most difficult year for him as far as batting average is concerned.

An untimely resignation and Kapil Dev’s fitness mantra

In the midst of all of this, team India’s trainer Shankar Basu has offered to resign from his job in the middle of a hectic home season. Among other reasons, I gather that player injuries being attributed to his work was also a reason for his resignation.

At least one player has had to sit out due to an injury before each match in the five-Test series against England. The likes of Ajinkya Rahane, Shikhar Dhawan and Hardik Pandya have suffered external injuries, while Wriddhiman Saha and Mohammad Shami have broken down with stress-related injuries.

In my view, a trainer alone cannot be blamed for these injuries as the players also have an equal responsibility to look after themselves. You certainly cannot be dependent on others when your career is at stake.

I have never witnessed Kapil Dev break down. He always used to tell us - “You are the best judge of your body; learn how to maintain it if you want to play for your country.” “ Running is the best exercise,” he would say and we believed it and religiously followed the same.

The question thus arises whether the luxurious air-conditioned gym training has led to this downfall in fitness?

While it’s very difficult to tackle this question, youngsters have to make a sound judgment for themselves.

On one hand, 2016 has been a purple patch for Virat Kohli and on the other hand, the year has turned out be rather ordinary for Dhoni. I hope that the coming year will be favourable for both the captains and they are able to reach their fullest potential.

Here’s wishing the team and the fans a very Happy New Year!