Overview

• Key pacers such as Akash Deep, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Deepak Chahar and Mayank Yadav have missed Tests due to groin, knee and stress injuries.
• Akash Deep is expected to return for the fifth Test at The Oval as team management looks to stabilise its pace lineup.
• Former India strength and conditioning coach Ramji Srinivasan criticises high-intensity workouts and lack of foundational training at the Centre of Excellence for eroding bowlers’ balance, stability and flexibility.
• Specialist coach Steffan Jones warns that abrupt increases in bowling loads and counting net sessions as match intensity have left pacers underprepared for sustained multi-day workloads.
• Technical coaching shortcomings in torque generation and fitness benchmarks that lag disciplines like sprinting have compounded bowlers’ susceptibility to recurring injuries.