Ex Team India coach on Bumrah: 'A small team needs to handle him, prepare him for surgical strikes a few times a year'

Indian Express

a day ago

For five years, strength and conditioning coach Soham Desai was the behind-the-scenes man for several of India's conquests. The man from Valsad talks to The Indian Express about the human touch behind the data and analytics of ensuring players stay optimally fit for important series, conditioning Jasprit Bumrah and the workings of different head coaches during his tenure. Excerpts:
First, there was this natural and gradual relationship getting cultivated with the current crop of players (Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, etc) right from their India A tours, NCA days and the Indian team. It helped me understand them better as individuals, based on which I was able to formulate plans to groom them.
The goal was to make them independent, self aware and autonomous— self-sufficient to handle themselves as high performing athletes, knowing when to do what and identifying the red flags early. To start sleeping at 10.30, wear health bands, check recoveries, basically adopting elite high-performance athletes' lifestyle and routine. Over four successive ICC tournaments since 2022, we had 100% player availability. We have to set plans 6-8 months, 9 months, at times 12 months in advance, so that they peak at the right time for the right games in the right venues.
I have been with him since 2014, when he was on RTP from his ACL injury, from his Gujarat Ranji Trophy days. He is special, a gifted guy who has worked immensely to become one of a kind. To manage guys like him we need a cohesive, collective and collaborative approach with a long-term vision driving the decisions, and ideally with great consistency in personnel around him.
The All Blacks, the famous rugby team of New Zealand, had only one S&C for more than a decade and he oversees the prep for the guys even when they go to their states. One guy, one team, one approach, one vision working through years. A similar thing happened with Pat Cummins. He faced several setbacks at the start of his career. Then he was pulled back and one set of professionals worked on him for 2-4 seasons.
Bumrah is an asset and needs to be handled smartly. A small team needs to handle him, prepare him for surgical strikes a few times a year and be smart around him at other times.
What were the approaches of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to fitness?
People assume Rohit doesn't work hard on his fitness. Given his history, for him to lead at the highest level for four years with a game or two missed is significant. He cannot do that by fluke, right? He must be doing something right. Can he get better? Yes, 100%. He will be the first one to say that. But to assume that he doesn't work hard is a bit much.
What should I say about Virat? It has been an honour to coach a student like him. A model athlete. He started out wanting to be the best, he got there through sheer will. He was aggressive, hungry and wanted to be number one. Both Rohit and Virat had the same team vision—to dominate world cricket —they approached it differently.
Was there any pressure from certain sections not to rest any players?
Everyone who is involved in Indian cricket knows that there are a lot of factors involved, the team combination, results, workload, etc etc. There is pressure from everywhere to make everyone play every game. This is not realistically possible, especially for all-format guys. At some stage everyone needs to be looked after so that we get them back in prime shape for important assignments. It is our job to chart out plans based on data points and present it to the captain and coach. Then they take things forward. Rohit and Rahul bhai [Dravid], they understood the bigger picture and the vision of what we were trying to do really well.
When was your knowledge tested the most professionally?
During the 2021 Test tour of England, we had three weeks of complete off and a 15-day prep camp in Durham. There was a clear directive from Ravi Shastri that he wanted all the fast bowlers ready to play all five Tests. During a conversation with Ravi bhai, I mentioned a different plan. Something on the lines of, 'Ravi Bhai, baaki sab toh theek hai, but can we be smart with Mohammed Shami and Ishant Sharma?
For their maximum impact, we need to plan for 3/5 games, Umesh and Bumrah for 4/5 and Siraj going for 5/5.' This was just to have all guys operating at 100% for all games and to use them at venues where their skillset is more suited. We set out with this plan.
How different were Shastri and Dravid?
They are both different individuals, with different approaches but with eye on similar end goals—building a culture/team that dominates world cricket. Ravi bhai used to be precise, direct and clear in his requirements. Then it was on us to work with (Bharat) Arun sir and (R) Sridhar sir and get things done. But he will keep a close eye and notice everything.
Rahul bhai would sit down to understand things in detail. He will first lay out a plan, explain what we are trying to do as a team, this is how we are going to do it, this is where you come in, etc etc. Then it is on us to make plans that compliment the team's plan and if there is a situation that may impact the team's plan, we would communicate and he would always be receptive. Essentially, he was involved and had a bird's eye view on the entire operation.
What exactly is the method for predicting or anticipating an injury or stopping them?
Predicting I am not too sure. It's more hitting in the dark. Anticipating an injury is something reasonably possible if we have multiple data points correlating and pointing in the same direction. Fortunately I have seen most of these boys in their developmental years, except maybe Rohit, Virat or Jaddu.
So I have reference points around these guys. I know how a 100% fit Hardik (Pandya), Siraj, Gill, Axar or Bumrah would move and look like. I have seen them operate under fatigue, the problems they face when they come into a series/game having not done enough, etc etc. So, based on these, along with being fully involved, observant and being aware, you can infer if something is not looking ideal.
When do you anticipate the players are fatigued?
I have spent enough time around them to know how they respond to different types and volumes of loads. For example, X player, if he is fatigued, he will start to develop tightness around a particular spot. That's a sign. Another guy has this one adductor, which will start to show up if his reserves are depleted. He will be on the physio table frequently, etc, etc. Everyone has a giveaway sign.
How does this GPS and band which players wear work?
GPS helps us to collect the running data of each player. 'Band' is to make the guys more accountable. You get to know the relationship between strain/effort and recovery, some data around sleep, the heart-rate metrics, what's the strain on him and what has he done to achieve recovery or not. Our mornings start with touching base on the data with the guys.
What do you track on gps? How do you then communicate to the players what they should do?
Let's say, Shubman has scored 80 today and his fielding to add, his GPS will have all the running data. Total distance covered, distance covered in various zones (walking, jogging, striding, sprinting) at various speeds. Gill's high-speed running ceiling, his best on record is say 32 kph, then we will see how much he has run around that mark. This reveals if he is pushed or not, if yes how much and what exact intensity at which he has accumulated the day's running loads. Based on this, his recovery plans for that evening are put in place. If there is too much volume around his peak speed, then we have different interventions. If it is moderate or low, then the plan changes. Over years we know what to do in a particular situation. The warm-up and prep the following day also changes based on what has happened today and how he wakes up the next day.
How do you work with contracted guys who are not picked in the team? For instance Siraj at the start of the year…
Whether they are prepping for an ongoing series or they are in the loop to be featured in the upcoming one, they need to be on a plan to be fully ready. This happens round the year.
Siraj had a tough start to the year. He was devastated and unmotivated. In these moments, the relationship built over the years comes into play.
We are able to have those honest/tough conversations and move forward with intent. A proper nine-week plan was laid out. It covered the one-off Ranji game, a break from training and bowling, then gradually built up to IPL whilst also being ready as standby for Champions Trophy.
Pujara said that during the Gabba Test of 2021, he was hit on his finger and it was decided not to go for a scan as it can have a psychological impact…
Pujara himself and maybe Nitin Patel took the call. Many times calls are taken in the best interest of the team. In the Champions Trophy a player hurt his hamstring. But he played three games and had a major impact. When the real time comes, these guys dig deep and have always stood up for the team. So has the physios who support these decisions, which can easily backfire.
Is it tough to deal with players who come from different backgrounds?
That is the beauty of working with the Indian Team. It is a challenge like no other and yet the most exciting part. One has to lead by example, build trust and understand the background of each individual. Unlike in SENA countries, where the entire nation has a similar upbringing or exposure growing up, we have guys coming from myriad backgrounds and on different timelines in their journey of exposure to life in general. Moreover, the diet, the systems and the culture are different in each state. Therefore, each guy is unique in terms of training, age and training history. We have to be subjective and bespoke most times.