Xtra Time Web Desk: Former Team India head coach Ravi Shastri has criticized the National Cricket Academy (NCA) and Chennai Super Kings pacer Deepak Chahar for recurring injuries. Shastri expressed frustration with players who have become “permanent residents” of the NCA due to frequent injuries, citing Chahar as an example. Chahar had previously been out of action for almost 8 months last year and missed IPL 2022 due to a back injury, but suffered a hamstring injury during his rehab at the NCA, which has now recurred during IPL 2023, making him doubtful for the entire tournament.
Shastri’s comments come as India head coach Rahul Dravid is taking the issue of workload management seriously, with meetings planned with NCA chief VVS Laxman and BCCI Sports Science head Nitin Patel. Several Indian players, including Shreyas Iyer and Ravindra Jadeja, have had their share of injuries and NCA visits, leading to delays in their return to the field.
While Shastri blamed Chahar for the recurrence of his hamstring injury, he is not alone in expressing frustration, as Rohit Sharma had also previously expressed annoyance with Chahar’s recurring injuries. Dravid’s efforts to overhaul the system and manage player workloads may be crucial in addressing the issue of frequent injuries in Indian cricket.