Virat Kohli has returned fitter than before lockdown: Shanker Basu
Shanker Basu, RCB’s strength and conditioning coach, stated that Virat Kohli, the skipper of the franchise has returned from being away from the sport for 5 months fitter than before. Basu pointed out the effort Kohli had put it despite being locked indoors due to the pandemic.
“He has come back in much better shape. He is at his best weight at the moment and his movement patterns are pretty much in sync with his best self in the past,” said Basu. “He has taken this break as an opportunity to work on all the pointers which needed attention from a physical point.
Basu explained, “He had the time to be very specific with his meal plans and running intervals at home. He did not have much of a choice during the lockdown and he invested on a treadmill and worked on his endurance which is otherwise not possible during a packed calendar. He did shuttle running in his apartment, which had a little space. With all these constraints, the attitude stood out more than the workout.
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“His customized strength work to complement that was his mantra during the lockout. So a combination of running and strength work and he kept it simple by just following this to the T.”
Virat Kohli sweating it out in RCB’s first training session post lockdown
Basu also disclosed that he and the management team, including director Mike Hesson and head coach Simon Katich, decided against incorporating one fool-proof approach towards their return to training, keeping in mind instead extreme conditions in the UAE and incorporating those with individual fitness requirements.
He said, “The coaching director (Mike Hesson) and the head coach (Simon Katich) and the entire support group are aware of a long layoff and ergo the planning with regards to the length of practice times, humidity, temperature and recovery is something we have worked as a team.
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“Since most of them have arrived in decent shape physically, it’s only a matter of time (before) they are match ready. The modern cricketers are very mindful of their meal plans. Hydration, a balanced amount of protein, carbs, and good fat will do the trick. And to combat the heat, again, we have our wellness and load-monitoring system, which will be put to good use.”