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Camp to be fitness specific
August 13, 2003 16:53 IST
The 36 probables for the upcoming cricket home series against New Zealand will assemble in Bangalore on Thursday for a 13-day conditioning camp.
India coach John Wright, who will be assisted by newly-recruited physical trainer Gregory Allen King and physio Andrew Leipus, said the camp will be fitness specific.
"The probables will have an hour-long yoga session each day, from 7.30 am. They will have training sessions in the morning and afternoon," selection committee chairman Brijesh Patel informed on Wednesday.
The camp, which concludes on August 26, will focus purely on physical fitness, and the probables will have nets only at the six-day preparatory camp, starting on September 1, Patel added.
Wright said the 36 probables offer him and the selectors a wide pool of talent, which will give them a good indication of who is keen on working harder.
The BCCI has made it mandatory for all to attend the camp, and Patel said none has sought exemption.
Rahul Dravid, Yuvraj Singh and Mohammed Kaif, currently playing county cricket, have been allowed to skip the camp but they will have to report for the second session in September.
"While India did reasonably well in the World Cup, there are certain areas where we need to do better," Wright said, adding the camp would give an opportunity to the probables to interact with King for the first time.
Three teams will be picked from among the probables for the Challenger Trophy, to be held in Bangalore from September 10 to 14, and Patel said the selection is slated for August 26.
There is still a question mark on the availability of veteran speedster Javagal Srinath for the series against the Kiwis. Srinath opted out of the camp as he is recovering from a knee injury, sustained during his stint with Durham.
In his absence, L Balaji, Irfan Pathan (Jr.), Amit Bhandari and Avishkar Salvi, who are being talked of as future pace replacements, are expected to be under closer scrutiny.
Ajit Agarkar and Gujarat medium-pacer Siddharth Trivedi are also attending the camp.