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World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev on Friday expressed concern over the rising number of injuries among Indian cricketers, attributing it to the demanding schedule that keeps players in action for almost 10 months each year.
The National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru has turned into a rehabilitation hub, with players spending more time recovering than training.
The latest casualty being India pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah who was forced to sit out of the second innings of the final Test in Sydney due to a back injury.
Initially named in the Champions Trophy squad, Bumrah has now been ruled out.
Mohammed Shami, India's top wicket-taker in the 2023 ODI World Cup (24 wickets), suffered a leg injury post-final and underwent surgery.
His 14-month recovery ruled him out of the BGT series, which India lost for the first time in a decade. Shami's absence left Bumrah without a reliable bowling partner.
"The only thing that worries me is that they play for 10 months a year -- injuries will be much more common," the 1983 World Cup-winning skipper said at the Tata Steel Golf prize distribution ceremony in New Delhi.
Asked whether Bumrah would be missed in CT, Kapil urged players to focus on supporting each other rather than dwelling on injured players.
"Why talk about someone who is not in the team? It's a team game, and the team has to win, not individuals. This is not badminton, tennis, or golf; we are playing a team sport in the Champions Trophy. If we play as a team, we will definitely win," said the 66-year-old.
"You never want your main players to get injured, but if it happens, you can't do anything about it. Good luck to my Indian team -- go and play well," he added.
India will begin their Champions Trophy campaign against Bangladesh in Dubai on February 20.
Kapil said he's excited to see so much rising talents in the Indian cricket team these days.
"When you see the youngsters, their confidence is unbelievable. We didn't have this much confidence when we were young. Good lluck to them."
A known golf enthusiast and the current PGTI president, Kapil also made a playful pitch for the sport.
"Tell everyone to play golf. If they are not playing cricket, they should come and play golf. If they do, their performance will be better. There is a lot of fun in golf."
Emphasising on the importance of infrastructure for young golfers, he said: "If young players get the right facilities, they will improve. We are trying our best."
'LIV Golf will do what IPL did for cricket'
The PGTI head further likened Saudi-backed LIV Golf's rise to the IPL's impact on cricket, stressing that more tournaments would only benefit players.
"When the IPL came, everyone benefited. So, whenever there is change, everyone will benefit. The more tournaments, the better. The more events that happen, the better it is for the players," Kapil said.
Launched in 2021, LIV Golf is a rival to the PGA and DP World Tours, offering lucrative contracts, shorter 54-hole events, team-based formats, and no cuts. It has attracted top golfers but also sparked significant controversy.
Kapil further called for more golf courses to boost India's Olympic prospects.
"You have to build more golf courses -- only then can we play and do well in the Olympics. If you go to Scotland, there are about 100 courses. Here, in Kolkata, you have only two or three."
"There should be more driving ranges; more players will emerge. If you have more schools and colleges, only then will children study, right? Players need opportunities to express themselves."
Dismissing the notion that golf is exclusive to the elite, he gave example of cricket's transformation.
"Ninety per cent of the top players come from caddie backgrounds. If top players are caddies-turned-pros, then we should remove this notion that golf is an elite game."
"About 60 years ago, only royals played cricket -- look at it now! The same will happen with golf; common people will play. This game is for everyone," he signed off.