Image Source: AFP
[Saba Sports News] Following his departure from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the former director, Mohammad Hafeez, made a startling disclosure during a television interview about the national cricket team’s lax attitude towards fitness.
Hafeez pointed out that under the leadership of then-captain Babar Azam, the team and its coaching staff had de-emphasized fitness training in favor of encouraging players to stick to their natural playing styles, particularly in the context of red-ball cricket. This revelation is alarming in the modern sports era, where physical fitness is considered a critical component of success in cricket, requiring players to maintain top physical condition for peak performance across formats.
Hafeez’s conversation with A Sports highlighted a concerning disregard for fitness within the team’s management and coaching strategy. He recounted an incident in Australia where he urged the team and management to focus on fitness, only to learn that the trainer had been advised against prioritizing fitness checks or conditioning by the management and captain six months prior. Hafeez noted a significant deterioration in the players’ fitness levels, particularly concerning fat levels, which had doubled the standard requirement for international players.
This neglect of fitness is seen as a contributing factor to Pakistan’s recent poor performances, including disappointing outings at the Asia Cup, a 50-over World Cup, a Test series whitewash by Australia under Shan Masood’s captaincy, and a 4-1 T20I series loss to New Zealand.
Hafeez’s insights suggest a correlation between the team’s disregard for fitness and their on-field struggles, shedding light on potential reasons behind the team’s lackluster performances. His comments have ignited further discussion about the professional standards within the PCB and the team’s approach to maintaining the physical and athletic standards necessary for international cricket.
“When we reached Australia, I spoke to the team, the captain (Babar Azam), and the management and told them to prioritise fitness. I asked the trainer about the standards of fitness which are being followed. But the trainer told me, six months ago, the management and captain had instructed me not to prioritise fitness and not to check the fitness of the players, and let them play their natural game.” “After six months when I observed them, the fat level, which plays an important role in the international level of the players, had transcended almost twice the standard level,” he added.