So there is something in Mickey Arthur's insistence on fitness then....

[MenInG]

Watching Sarfaraz panting away one can only thank the fitness regime put in place.

No idea when he would have collapsed if he had not been this fit!

 

[Abdul]

He still looks a bit overweight. Needs to put in some work during the off-season and also focus on his diet.

 

[MenInG]

He still looks a bit overweight. Needs to put in some work during the off-season and also focus on his diet.

True but he wouldnt have lasted this long without some form of fitness.

Energy sapping conditions in UAE

 

[ExpressPacer]

Absolutely. Our fielding has drastically improved as well.

 

[Abdul]

True but he wouldnt have lasted this long without some form of fitness.

Energy sapping conditions in UAE

Yes, that's true. It takes a praisable amount of effort to play in UAE without losing your concentration because of the heat. There's obviously more pressure on Sarfaraz due to added responsibilities - and now he's making up for other batsmen also. One's gotta feel bad for him.

 

[Savak]

For all the talk of fitness and the ruthless emphasis on it behind the scene, too many players are still below the desired standard of fitness. There is still some favoritism in giving leeway to players close to the coach, team management and those players who are out of favor with the coach and team management.

 

[MenInG]

For all the talk of fitness and the ruthless emphasis on it behind the scene, too many players are still below the desired standard of fitness. There is still some favoritism in giving leeway to players close to the coach, team management and those players who are out of favor with the coach and team management.

And here we go - new Coach, new Captain, wohee batain.

 

[coy0607]

there's no question the emphasis on fitness has done wonders. You only need to look at the fielding / effort in the field to notice the massive differences

 

[Yaasir]

Fitness has improved leaps and bounds. But, it's still not where it needs to be. A lot more work is required. But it takes time. Fitness is not something you can achieve in a few days.

 

[KyoOne]

Also, there is right KIND of emphasise on fitness, i.e. certain benchmarks.

Our previous coach, the longest coach we've had in recent memory, used to make player run around the ground quite a few times to show fitness. You dont exhaust your players while on tour

 

[shane]

The fitness thing is working well for Pakistan. But they seem to be lacking in actual skills. No point putting 11 wrestlers on a cricket field if they do not know how to play cricket.

 

[Abdul]

The fitness thing is working well for Pakistan. But they seem to be lacking in actual skills. No point putting 11 wrestlers on a cricket field if they do not know how to play cricket.

How are they going to become 'wrestlers' by improving their fitness?

 

[shane]

How are they going to become 'wrestlers' by improving their fitness?

Clearly they are not, and that really was not the point.

 

[Savak]

Also, there is right KIND of emphasise on fitness, i.e. certain benchmarks.

Our previous coach, the longest coach we've had in recent memory, used to make player run around the ground quite a few times to show fitness. You dont exhaust your players while on tour

The same coach who burnt himself out playing each and every county season, test series, Odi series, tournament from 1990-1998 bowling at 90 mph plus and lost speed at the official age of 25-26. He doesn't know any better

 

[Plumb]

Agreed 100%. players(batsmen/fielders) dripping sweat like they just took a shower. For Sarfi to keep 100s of overs and then bat and rotate the strike with singles. This needs appreciation and applause for the management to keep such high standards. I hope we continue to keep these standards

 

[Dingolfy]

No coach can make your 21 plus old senior team players great fielders overnight.If that was possible,John Wright would have done that with Sehwag and Ganguly.It has to start from junior levels.And whatever I have seen from your recent U-19 teams, it is not still upto international standard.You have to fix your cricketing infrastructure and system first to get your fielding basics right.

 

[aukhan]

Shan Masood is super fit.

 

[MenInG]

Babar struggling but without this fitness would have been on a stretcher.

 

[MenInG]

The ICC Champions Trophy 2017 was a "watershed moment" that changed the Pakistan team's approach to fitness, the coaching staff has revealed.

Head coach Mickey Arthur has constantly stressed on the importance of fitness ahead of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2019. He has been vocal in pulling up the team when he sees them lacking in this area – as he did during their recent 5-0 loss to Australia in the United Arab Emirates. The players' performance in fitness tests was a big part of what decided World Cup selection.

According to Grant Luden, the Pakistan strength and conditioning coach, the yo-yo test became a part of their preparation a few years ago, and the team has been constantly improving the numbers.

He began with a standard of 17:1, keeping in mind that the players would be expected to turn out in matches twice or thrice a week. "As a team, we've gone from 17:1 to 17:4, which is our bare minimum standard," he said in a video posted by the PCB. "But from a team point of view, our team average has gone from 17:4 to 18:1. We've got some guys, like Mohammad Rizwan [the wicket-keeper batsman], that run 21 on our yo-yo test."

The Champions Trophy, which Pakistan won, was a valuable reminder of the importance of maintaining high standards. "Coming into the Champions Trophy, we had a few players out of shape," said Luden. "We had to make a hard decision and we had to send those players home. And thank goodness! We had the results ... It was a watershed moment for us."

Pakistan nearly missed out on qualification for the Champions Trophy altogether and began their campaign with a heavy loss to arch rivals India. But then victories over world No. 1 South Africa, Sri Lanka and hosts England set up a tantalising re-match against India in the Final at The Oval. Not to be denied on this occasion, Pakistan set an imposing total of 338, led by a century to Fakhar Zaman before Mohammad Amir and Hasan Ali combined to bowl India out for 158 to deliver an unlikely but memorable triumph.

"[Fitness] is not the be all and end all," Arthur insisted. "[But] it gives the guys a better opportunity of performing. And that, for us, is important in terms of how many matches we play, so recovery becomes a part of that."

Arthuer further said that a team's fitness is a reflection on the coaching staff, while Grant Flower, the batting coach, added: "It shows how much they want to play for their country. If they arrive out of nick, and not fit or overweight, it shows they are not willing to make the sacrifices required to play for their country."

https://www.cricketworldcup.com/news/1215324

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

What I don't understand is, if Arthur is so focussed on fitness, how come a key member of the world cup squad in Imad looks soft and flabby, and Wahab Riaz who wasn't selected, looks like a race horse in comparison?

Riaz has invested in his own personal trainer which shows the difference some ambition and professionalism can make. Haris, Sarfraz and Imad on the other hand.....

 

[Savak]

What I don't understand is, if Arthur is so focussed on fitness, how come a key member of the world cup squad in Imad looks soft and flabby, and Wahab Riaz who wasn't selected, looks like a race horse in comparison?

Riaz has invested in his own personal trainer which shows the difference some ambition and professionalism can make. Haris, Sarfraz and Imad on the other hand.....

To be honest a coach can set standards, it is up to the players to buy into it from a personal work ethic, nutrition and training point of view. If a slightly less than ideally fit player is performing consistently and winning matches, stick with him. But if a player is unfit and also not performing drop him.

But don't pick a super fit player purely on the basis of fitness alone if he is neither batting well nor bowling well.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

To be honest a coach can set standards, it is up to the players to buy into it from a personal work ethic, nutrition and training point of view. If a slightly less than ideally fit player is performing consistently and winning matches, stick with him. But if a player is unfit and also not performing drop him.

But don't pick a super fit player purely on the basis of fitness alone if he is neither batting well nor bowling well.

Agree, but since none of the unfit/unprofessional players are performing, then obviously it is annoying to see them plodding around in the field, or getting fitter batsmen run out because they are too slow or out of breath to make a second run.

 

[jonny darko]

have you looked at the gut of some of the sri lankan players? It seems like their fitness trainer & dietician both have gone on paid vacation.

shukr karo bhai .. pak cricketers' fitness has come a long way since the days of inzi & salim malik.

 

[Savak]

have you looked at the gut of some of the sri lankan players? It seems like their fitness trainer & dietician both have gone on paid vacation.

shukr karo bhai .. pak cricketers' fitness has come a long way since the days of inzi & salim malik.

Salim Malik was a reasonably fit cricketer and the main batsman in the Pakistan team during Imran's time after Miandad. Similarly Inzi is probably our second greatest batsman in history after Miandad. We would kill for a batsman like him regardless of his fitness.

 

[Saj]

Interesting to hear Michael Clarke on commentary saying that David Warner has his own running coach.

How wonder how many of our players have this sort of work ethic?

 

[shane]

Interesting to hear Michael Clarke on commentary saying that David Warner has his own running coach.

How wonder how many of our players have this sort of work ethic?

What does a running coach do? Teach him how to run?

 

[Saj]

What does a running coach do? Teach him how to run?

I would hope so.

And perhaps fitness work, strengthening etc.

 

[IAJ]

What does a running coach do? Teach him how to run?

Are these serious questions?

 

[adil79]

What does a running coach do? Teach him how to run?

Teach him how to eat. Obviously, he helps him with his fitness. Clarke was focussing on that, and saying he wasn't that fit in the start and now he has focussed on his diet & fitness.

 

[MenInG]

Misbah-ul-Haq speaking today:

"All players can get injuries like muscle pulls etc., no matter how fit they are. But yes we do have a problem and there is no need to hide it. If we train only keeping fitness tests in mind then that is wrong. We have this type of mindset occasionally, the fitness test is coming up so some do training on an emergency basis and once it's cleared, forget about it. So my policy on this is clear, the standards should be maintained and every 2-3 days players need to be checked, to see where fat levels are and where the fitness levels are and where they are going. This will bring in discipline. I need to be fit all the time, a test can happen anytime, that should be the mentality"

"Fielding relates with fitness. If you have fitter players in the field, they will be quicker, they will take catches instead of 'good try' so there is a simple psyche behind this. Of course, we will try to improve this"

 

[Titan24]

Misbah-ul-Haq speaking today:

"All players can get injuries like muscle pulls etc., no matter how fit they are. But yes we do have a problem and there is no need to hide it. If we train only keeping fitness tests in mind then that is wrong. We have this type of mindset occasionally, the fitness test is coming up so some do training on an emergency basis and once it's cleared, forget about it. So my policy on this is clear, the standards should be maintained and every 2-3 days players need to be checked, to see where fat levels are and where the fitness levels are and where they are going. This will bring in discipline. I need to be fit all the time, a test can happen anytime, that should be the mentality"

"Fielding relates with fitness. If you have fitter players in the field, they will be quicker, they will take catches instead of 'good try' so there is a simple psyche behind this. Of course, we will try to improve this"

Well said by Misbah that fitness should be a lifestyle for a professional sportsman rather than trying to pass the fitness tests and eating all sorts of junk food on tours. Surprise fitness tests can be a good idea as Misbah has suggested players need to be fit all the time.