Bubble-trapped life

The bio-secure pockets have brought out the best and worst in the Indian side

Australia India Cricket Cheteshwar Pujara receives treatment after he is hit while batting on the final day of the 4th Test between India and Australia at the Gabba, Brisbane | AP

Like soldiers returning from war, a physically drained Indian contingent returns home with a majority of them having spent five months overseas. From the Indian Premier League bio-secure bubble to the strict restrictions of Australia, the Indians were physically cut off from the outside world. The bubble played no small part in the outcome of the historic Test series victory.

As the Indians hobbled off one by one over the course of the tour, mostly because of soft-tissue injuries, the onus was on team physio Nitin Patel and conditioning coach Nick Webb to stitch them up. Ahead of the tour, experts had warned that the schedule would take a toll on the players.

Australian head coach Justin Langer blamed the IPL for the injuries, saying it was too close to a big tour. Ramji Srinivasan, former strength and conditioning coach of the Indian team, told a newspaper that such injuries happen because of the difference in mechanics between running on a treadmill and suddenly switching to outdoors training.

Moreover, the mental fortitude of the players in isolation was also put to the test. As psychologists have pointed out over the last year, the mental fatigue in a sports bubble can have adverse outcomes. Hence, it came as no surprise when pictures of Indian players “breaching the bubble” to dine and shop were revealed on social media.

On a side note, Australia’s strict quarantine rules have frustrated others, too. Tennis stars who arrived for the Australian Open are raising hell over it. Most players will be stuck in their hotel rooms until days before the tournament starts on February 8; the inability to train has them fuming.

But, all things considered, the bubble may have also played its part in the Indian victory. The restrictions meant that India had to take its largest contingent of players ever as back up for possible injuries and the lack of access to local Australian net bowlers. Thirty players, including four net bowlers, landed in Australia. And if it was not for that provision, we may never have seen T. Natarajan and Washington Sundar play and win hearts on their debuts.

The backup players in the squad had acclimatised to the conditions, ready to be called into action, as against shipping in players from India on short notice to fill in for those who were ruled out.

The returning players will get little time with their families before they are bundled off into the next bio-bubble for the England tour, which runs from February 5 to March 28. And from there to the next for the IPL in April-May. Time to bubble-wrap the bubble-trapped?