Former Indian batter Mohammad Kaif has raised a serious concern over Indian players’ fitness issues, adding that the veteran all-rounder Hardik Pandya has been dealing with injury concerns for a long time.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Kaif has emphasised that the Indian cricketing fraternity needs to accept that these injury concerns can make the team lose a World Cup or a bilateral series.
“Look at Hardik Pandya. For how long has he been dealing with injuries? He plays, then gets injured again. Several of our players have a history of injuries. So, somewhere, there is a major problem. We have to recognise this as a serious problem. First, we have to accept that this can make us lose a World Cup. It can make us lose a series. If a player is not fit at the right time, we have to acknowledge that first. Then we need to work on it,” Mohammad Kaif said on his YouTube channel.
For the unversed, Hardik hasn’t set foot on the field since the conclusion of the IPL 2026 season and has been at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE), undergoing rehabilitation for a left quadriceps and calf injury.
“As I said, it is a valid point. Matches are being played every month. There is some match going on almost every second week. So, sometimes players also rush their return because they don’t want to stay out for too long and risk someone else taking their place. They think, ‘What if someone else comes in and takes my spot?’ That is where a good physiotherapist, proper guidance and a good trainer who trains the player correctly can make a difference. Sometimes, injuries can also happen because of overtraining,” he added.
“Still, I am saying that you don’t need a trainer with half knowledge, and you don’t need a physiotherapist with half knowledge either. If someone doesn’t know enough, they may not interfere when they should. And if they do interfere, their complete background and experience become very important. People who have a history of treating injuries, who have worked for years and dealt with different kinds of injuries, and who have spent time working with players are extremely valuable. Those are the kind of people who can make a real difference,” he concluded.
