— Photo: K. Bhagya Prakash

GETTING READY: With the England and Ireland series around, the Indian players sweat it out to have high level of physical fitness.

Bangalore: Quick steps sideways, a sharp jump, catch the throw-down, rifle it back and swivel immediately and repeat the catch-and-throw again.

This was one of the fielding drills that the players indulged in with some mixed luck as the fitness camp for batsmen wound to a close at the National Cricket Academy here on Tuesday.

There was the odd bit of banter and some sheepish grins as some catches went abegging and when a diving effort resulted in a fine catch, the applause was instant.

Touch of comedy

There was a touch of comedy too as fielding coach Robin Singh's intended edge to a waiting slip cordon, ballooned and nearly knocked out Gautam Gambhir, who was sitting adjacent to the nets, sipping his mineral water.

In the end all was fine while Robin laughed and the players got back to their routines.

The fielding drills were introduced to break the drudgery of fitness sessions and were monitored by Robin with assistance from trainer Gregory King and bowling coach Venkatesh Prasad.

"Originally bowling and fielding was not part of these camps (at Mysore and Bangalore) but Robin Singh and I thought of having them briefly, just to break the monotony of the fitness schedules," Prasad said after the camp concluded.

Prasad was happy with the commitment levels displayed by the players during the course of the two camps at Mysore and Bangalore.

"We have a long schedule ahead in this particular year and we had to have these fitness camps for bowlers as well as the batsmen, just to keep them going so that they would last the duration of the long list of fixtures ahead.

"I know it's been hard on the players because we have had this fitness camp shortly after the Bangladesh tour was over and that tour wasn't easy, though it looked easy, because it was hot and humid out there and it took a lot out of the players.

Fantastic

"It is fantastic to watch the effort the players are putting in these camps. By having these camps we are ensuring that in case a player gets injured in the season ahead, we do have some players who can step in and who are fit," said Prasad.

As for the new fitness and fielding drills, Prasad said that players have lapped them up with enthusiasm. "It is not at all difficult to make the players aware of the concepts that trainer Gregory King had in mind. "The players were never short of enthusiasm. Now as far as these concepts with regard to fitness, speed, endurance and other related aspects are concerned, well these things have been dealt with in the last six to seven years. It may not have been there in the Nineties but now all the players are aware," said Prasad.

Weight-training

The last day of the fitness camp for batsmen included outdoor sessions and some weight-training in the NCA gym. Seniors like Sachin Tendulkar and V.V.S. Laxman mingled with the juniors while skipper Rahul Dravid, who was away in Delhi to attend the selection committee meeting, and Mohammad Kaif, who could not join the afternoon session, were conspicuous by their absence.

The camp for the team bound for Ireland and England will commence here on Wednesday afternoon.

V.R.V. Singh discharged

Meanwhile, seamer V.R.V. Singh was discharged from a private hospital here on Tuesday morning following his recovery from a suspected viral infection.

It may be recalled that V.R.V. Singh fell sick during the course of the bowlers' fitness camp in Mysore and was subsequently hospitalised. He was later shifted to a hospital in Bangalore.

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