Workload management will be looked after during the second half of the IPL: Bhuvneshwar Kumar

As the series against Australia is well underway, India have been making some crucial decisions for the ICC Cricket World Cup. As the complete selection for the World Cup might be done by the end of this five-match ODI series, some other decisions are yet to be taken by the Indian management. One of the major concerns being dealt here is the workload issue that might befall on the World Cup candidates who are also participating in the Indian Premier League.

The 12th edition of the IPL will commence on March 23, in Chennai. While only the first half of the schedule is out, the rest of it will be decided upon and unveiled after the dates of the general elections are known. Until now, only dates of the first 17 matches of the IPL are out. While discussing the selection concern, the management has also touched other topics of interests that includes the physical safety of the players.

While most overseas teams have asked their players to not participate in the IPL due to the World Cup that starts on May 30, India are also concerned about the players’ fitness. The category of players most susceptible to injuries is fast bowlers. So in order to ease it out for the World Cup-bound bowlers, Indian management has allowed the players to pick and choose matches during the event as part of the workload management programme.

While the above-mentioned scheme was advised some time ago, senior pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar has unveiled its validity, on Thursday. The right-arm pacer said that the second phase of the IPL is when the implementation of the workload management programme will embark. It’s clear that the BCCI has been keen on keeping the trio’s- Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Bhuvneshwar Kumar- workload to the minimum during the T20 league.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar speaks about workload management during the IPL

The key bowler of the Sunrisers Hyderabad said, on Thursday: “That’s there in our minds. It will come into play after the first half of IPL, six-seven matches then we can know how we can approach the second half of IPL and what we need to do to remain fit for the World Cup.”

“Yes, it (World Cup) is there on our minds but we’ll look after (our fitness) in the second half of IPL,” said Bhuvneshwar, making it clear that it will also be an exemption of the players and their talks with franchises. “I am sure they will cooperate with each and every player because WC is a very important thing for us and BCCI may also talk to them,” he said, adding that it is for ‘every player playing World Cup’.

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