When cricket fans across the country sit at home and in stadiums with bated breath as a bowler runs towards the crease, hand held ready to let the ball go flying, the tension of whether this ball will be the wicket-taker or give away a six is thick in their throats. But for team doctors seated in the dugout watching with sharper eyes than any fan, the anxiety is about another thing entirely. “It’s nerve-wracking for us, because more than the sixes and wickets, we are there in case of that one ball which travels like a bullet and hits the back of a batsman’s helmet and he doesn’t get up. There are either the doctor’s or the physio’s eyes constantly watching the players from the moment they step onto the field,” says Dr Ameya Kagali, a city-based medico who was the former team doctor for Rajasthan Royals.
Contrary to popular perception , the team doctor’s job does not begin with injuries but much earlier, right after the IPL auction. The focus here is not on treating diseases but on making sure that the whole squad and net bowlers too, are at peak physical health. “Once the squad is finalised in November-December, we start having small camps with a few athletes. We run a barrage of tests focussed on the cardiovascular system and fix any nutritional deficiencies. Preventing injuries is more than half of the job.”
After that, it comes down to checking day-to-day conditions of players and maintaining constant communication with the rest of the team – nutritionists, coaches, trainers, physiotherapists and more. And never are the stakes higher than when making the call to pull a player from the lineup, with players gaining sponsorships, fame, even getting noticed for national teams based on their IPL performance. “We always break the news in terms of probabilities, saying, ‘If he plays four overs, the chances of injury recurrence are 50 per cent and if he rests, it will be less.’ Then, the ball is in the coach’s court,” he says, adding, “You’ll see many stories coming out of sporting history where players talk about playing with a leg injury or high fever. It’s a good story to hear, provided it is successful. But if it’s not, you may never hear about it.”
The most common injuries come with fast bowlers, but more is at stake than injuries too, explains the former Army doctor.
“Back injuries, hamstring, quads and abdominal strains are most common. But more than injuries, Indian summers are unforgiving so we see a lot of dehydration in day matches because players are on the field from as early as 1pm. Disrupted sleep cycles, too, are a big issue because they get back to their hotels between 1.30am and 3am. There’s a lot of emphasis on recovery – ice baths, massage guns, specific nutrition requirements and no training sessions the day after a match.”
With the pressure of the game, mental health plays a big role in players’ wellbeing too. As a team doctor, Dr Kagali tries to create a safe atmosphere and rapport with players, but, he points out that the most impact is made when senior players decide to open up. “No matter how much a doctor tells a youngster, s/he will only look up to the seniors in the dressing room. So when they start talking about the importance of mental health, resilience, visualisation and optimisation of their psychological strengths – it has a huge impact. However, we all [support staff and players] play the role of a psychologist, maybe not in name, but just in creating an environment where conversations can happen.”