Players will have to be put through individual programmes: Dravid

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Rahul Dravid.

New Delhi, (Asian independent) Players may need to be dealt on an individual basis before they can return to competitive cricket after more than three months of freeze in the sport’s calendar due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Dravid said on Sony Ten Pit Stop which was aired on the network’s Facebook page that the players have all been in different situations during this lockdown period. “Some may have had access to space to run while some may have been in flats and so could not do any running,” he said.

“So we will have to put them through very individual programmes till everyone can get back to a baseline level.”

He however said that the players shouldn’t be too worried about their skills getting affected by the enforced break.

“I always try and remind them that this may not be normal for cricketers now because of the amount of matches that are being played but in an era just before ours, it was not uncommon for players to not touch a bat for four to six months. We have heard stories of Sunil Gavaskar taking up badminton in the off season,” said Dravid.

“So I am not too worried about their skills, they need to be given time to get back. You can’t just expect someone to straightaway go to a Test match and be spot on. But if you give them time then, we are talking about really good athletes who are at the top of their game and who know their skills very well.”