EXCLUSIVE: PBKS owner Ness Wadia's interesting answer on workload management in IPL, says 'we play just 14 matches but Team India...'

In the last one year, the term workload management is being used frequently in Indian cricket.

SportsTak

• Mon • 24 Apr 2023

In the last one year, the term workload management is being used frequently in Indian cricket. With Indian cricketers continuously battling injuries and missing major tournaments that are directly impacting Team India's performance in ICC and multi-national tournaments, the voices in support of workload management have increased significantly. Before the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) season began, there were reports that the Indian pacers have been informed to manage their workload adequately in order to avoid injuries.

Punjab Kings' (PBKS) co-owner Ness Wadia has a different view when it comes to managing the workload of players in the cash-rich tournament. Wadia is of the opinion that Indian players play around 14 matches in the IPL but the country's national team participates in more than 100 matches each year. The PBKS owner also believes that having a specialist team for all three formats of the game is the mantra moving forward.

In an exclusive interview with Sports Tak, Wadia said, "In IPL we play 14 matches in a season. According to my estimation, Team India plays around 120 matches every year, including Tests, ODIs, and T20Is. So IPL will not have much impact on an individual's workload. I believe that the team should be formulated according to the demands of all three formats. England has displayed how there can be different players in each format. Australia has also done this,"

Wadia cited the example of Cheteshwar Pujara, who only plays Test cricket for India. The PBKS owner reckons that having specialist players for every format can reap good returns.

"Look at Cheteshwar Pujara, he only plays Tests. The same should be done in all formats. This will not only bolster our bench strength for all three formats but will also give rest to our key players. With this, other players will also get a chance to show their ability, which will increase the bench strength," he added.

Speaking about the plan to prolong IPL and increase the number of matches, Wadia said, "The more matches there are, the better. We have talked about a big season or two seasons in a year. But let's start with making the current season longer and better. Have to see how many windows are there now and schedule accordingly."