New Delhi: Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar lambasted the notion of fitness standards being valued with slimness of players. His remarks came after youngster Sarfaraz Khan scored his maiden Test century in India’s eight-wicket defeat in the first Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru.
Sarfaraz made his Test debut earlier this year in February in the third Test against England in Rajkot. Playing only in his fourth Test, the 26-year-old middle-order batter made 150 in the second innings, leading India’s fightback to overcome the colossal 356-run lead in the first innings.
The Mumbai player for the longer part was ignored by the Indian selectors despite piling ample of runs in the Indian domestic circuit. With constant criticism from fans and experts, the selectors gave the youngster his due call-up in the five-match Test series against England. However, he isn’t guaranteed of a place in the playing XI in the current scenario. Only discomfort to Indian batter Shubman Gill paved the way for Sarfaraz in the first Test against New Zealand.
One of the major reasons against Sarfaraz’s selection was the concerns over his fitness and overweight. Gavaskar, who had previously slammed the notion of picking slim players in the team, has once again shed light on how players with strong mental fortitude should get a nod ahead of slim-waist players.
“Sarfaraz Khan has been denied a place in the Indian team for some years now, despite scoring runs by the hundreds in domestic cricket. This was largely because those in a position to make decisions believed he didn’t have the slim waist they deemed necessary for international cricket,” Gavaskar wrote in his recent column for Sportstar.
“It’s not just him — many people in India have this strange notion that a slim waist signifies a fit person. How often have we heard someone look at a slim-waisted individual and say how fit they are? Sports fitness doesn’t depend on slim waists alone. If the mind is strong, then physical fitness can largely be controlled by it,” he further mentioned.
Rishabh Pant also doesn’t possess the slim waist: Sunil Gavaskar
Rishabh Pant played a splendid knock of 99, complementing Sarfaraz from the other end, as the duo put on 177 runs for the fourth wicket to help India take a lead in the second innings. Pant was unfazed even when New Zealand took the second new ball, going down on his knees to slog pace bowler Tim Southee for a six. He was dismissed by William O’Rourke, being denied his seventh Test century.
“Rishabh Pant is another player who doesn’t possess the slim waist that these fitness purists seem to want, but what an impact player he is. Let’s not forget that he also keeps wickets all day, which not only requires getting up and down for around six hours of play but also running to the stumps to gather the throws,” Gavaskar wrote.
“So, please discard these yoyo-toyo tests and instead assess how strong a player is mentally. That will be a true indicator of a player’s fitness. If a player can bat the whole day or bowl 20 overs in a day, he is match-fit, regardless of how slim or not his waist is,” the 75-year-old added.
