Shankar Basu, the man whose appointment led to a phenomenal increase in the fitness, speed and agility of the Indian cricket team, has handed his resignation to the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India).
Basu resigned after the fifth Test between India and England – but according to the New Indian Express, the BCCI are yet to accept it.
Their report also quotes a BCCI source as saying that a few players were disgruntled with Basu’s intense training programme – the same one which has transformed Virat Kohli into a supreme athlete.
“No player complained about his methods. But a few did raise questions about the intensity and the programme, which is normal, because for each player the routine is different. The team’s fitness has increased by leaps and bounds, and it is a huge shock that Basu resigned. We are still sitting over the letter.”
Basu has immense experience in training top-level athletes, with squash players Dipika Pallikal, the Royal Challengers Bangalore and the Tamil Nadu Ranji team part of his clientele.
He has been with the Indian side since the tour of Sri Lanka in 2015 but a spate of recurring injuries could have also been a reason for his resignation.
If the BCCI does eventually accept his resignation, they could turn back to former trainer Sudarshan, who was in-charge before Basu and is currently part of the National Cricket Academy setup.
Feature image source: Virat Kohli’s Instagram
