It is a full-time job that begins before a game and continues after, say strength-and-conditioning coaches.
As Kolkata reeled under a heat wave, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) played five home games in the Indian Premier League (IPL), two of them in the afternoon, between April 14 and 29. At 43°C, April 30 was the hottest in the city since 1954. One day prior when KKR beat Delhi Capitals, the maximum temperature was 41.7°C, over five degrees above normal.
As Kolkata reeled under a heat wave, KKR played five home games in the Indian Premier League (AP)
It was almost 39°C when Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul, skippers of KKR and Lucknow Super Giants, went to toss in the afternoon on April 14. It was nearly 41°C one week later when KKR played Royal Challengers Bengaluru, also in the afternoon. And almost 40°C when Punjab Kings came visiting on April 26.
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Depending on the weather and whether it is an afternoon game, players can lose up to 2kg body weight during a game, said Sagar V, KKR’s assistant strength-and-conditioning coach. Hit hardest are KKR’s fast bowlers, Phil Salt, the wicketkeeper batter, and boundary riders, he said.
Yet, barring Sunil Narine once, they have not had a major case of cramps, said Chris Donaldson, the strength-and-conditioning coach. “There are a lot of people managing things behind the scene. It is a full-time job that involves conversations with players, checking non-verbal signs for fatigue. It begins one day before the game, continues during the game and afterwards.”
Through hydration protocols, temperature-controlled pools, drinks on team buses and staff and players on the boundary line with fluids, KKR have coped. And by eliminating the fear factor, said Donaldson, an Olympic sprinter from New Zealand who also works with the country’s cricket board. “If you start focusing on the negative factors, players start worrying and start reading into stuff.”
The preparation cycle starts with a hot meal and fluids after training on match day minus one, said Donaldson. “Sometimes, post-training we have a session in the hotel’s cold pool where water is kept at 14 to 15°C. This aids sleep.”
On game day, drinks are kept on seats in the bus, he said. The next step has the coaches walking around the changing room “feeding” energy bars or ensuring players have hydration drinks, said Donaldson. Some players can’t eat due to pre-match nerves and it is our job to get them to drink liquids high on glucose or munch energy bars, he said. “Not the perfect scenario but at least it gives them something.”
It can’t always be seen on television but the fielding team positions players and staff behind the boundary line ready with fluids. “You need to be proactive as players are so fixated on the game that they won’t seek a drink. If they are thirsty, it is too late. We try and put it in front of them so that they sip it. Even that is fine,” said Donaldson. What about someone in the circle, say Salt? “You need 12th men who can sprint on and off without slowing the game down,” he said.
The purple liquid they are seen drinking is a flavoured oral rehydration solution that has been pre-checked by a third party for banned substances, said Sagar.
Recovery can get tricky when there is travel. Because of a rain delay, the KKR-Mumbai Indians match ended well after midnight. On Sunday evening they flew to Ahmedabad.
“Players have a get-together in the hotel (after the match) and they can’t sleep because of adrenaline . They go to bed late and barely get six seven hours of sleep and then travel. As soon as you arrive at the hotel you have a good meal and you sleep. Some players like to do a pool session after that just to open the body up,” said Sagar.
Every player has a weighing scale in his room and it is the first check for fluid loss, said Sagar. “Too much salt and you will feel bloated. Elite athletes know the sweet spot. With young professionals we have conversations.”
Individual feedback and non-verbal signs also help the coaches check the players. Sometimes the player tells us, sometimes we see they are not moving well, said Donaldson. “Then we start asking: did you eat well, did you hydrate well, did you sleep well?.”
Every player is different but a minimum of three litres of fluid is required daily and at least 10 hours of sleep, especially after a game or a hard session, said the coaches. “For each 20kg (of body weight) a litre of water is recommended,” said Sagar.
All this means that strength and conditioning coaches are on their toes at games. And while they are at it, is anyone checking their hydration levels? As Sagar looks at Donaldson, he says: “I ask the same thing.”
