Playing cricket in Sri Lanka during this period is extremely energy sapping. Some of the stalwarts like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have the experience of playing in the Emerald of Isle, but the players would need a lot of electrolytes to weather the conditions.
Ramji Srinivasan, the former strength and condition coach of the Indian team, does see it a challenge for the Indian team to prevent freak injury due to dehydration. But he is confident that the support staff would do whatever it takes to keep the players in good condition for the Lankan challenges.
“Humidity is going to be a big factor in Sri Lanka. It is very much like Chennai and Kochi. It will be very hot and weather. To prevent any sort of cramps and dehydration-oriented issues, one needs, especially, the strength and condition coach needs to address the issue well. He will have to see to it that the players are well hydrated with very good recovery protocols,” Ramji told CricBlogger in an exclusive chat.
It is also revealed that the Indian team has taken precautionary measures to ensure that none of the players are affected by these challenging conditions. “The simple way to check whether you are dehydrated or not is through urine color. There is also a urine specific gravity and designing a concoction according to the need of a player. Every player is different. Fluid lost through sweat will have to be kept in mind and replaced by electrolytes while doing all the calculations,” Ramji said.
The Indian cricketers also need hypertonic drinks to maximize the energy level. “It is constant work of the strengthening coach to keep a tap on the players,” Ramji added.