India vs West Indies: How Team India Braved Hot Conditions Against The Windies

India defeated the Windies by 10 wickets in the second Test to clinch the two-match Test series 2-0 on Sunday in Hyderabad. Continuing their dominant run at home, India wrapped up the match in three days, outclassing the visitors for the second time in the row. Apart from the dominant performance from the home team, the conditions under which the players played the two Test matches were also a talking point for the cricket pundits. With temperatures rising above 38 degrees in both Rajkot and Hyderabad, players faced difficulties on the field during the play. Regular drinks break taken by the batsmen were often questioned by the opposition captains and the umpires. Maintaining the fitness of the players under the extreme weather conditions was a difficult task, that the trainers from both the teams carried out quite well throughout the series. Team India fitness coach fitness coach Shankar Basu, post the completion of the second Test, elaborated on how the players fought and the scorching heat during the Test series. 

Shankar Basu, in a video posted by the Board Of Control For Cricket In India (BCCI), elaborated on the ice bath sessions helped the players fight the searing temperatures.  

Behind the scenes: Recovery, the ice bath way

After a long, hot day on the field, how do some players recover and cool off?

Find out here - https://t.co/wzOIDO5Acz - by @28anand pic.twitter.com/vjhXuYAOv2

— BCCI (@BCCI) October 14, 2018

Explaining on the positives of the exercise Basu said, "There have been many papers written on the importance of ice baths. Over a period of time we have fine tuned things as per the needs of our team and what works and what doesn't for certain members of the team. In the subcontinent conditions the ice bath does work pretty well."

Vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane returned to form after playing a crucial 80-run knock during the second Test in Hyderabad. Praising Rahane's commitment towards his fitness Basu said, "Jinx (Rahane) is a hard working freak. He is always after us. At times I have to stop him from working too hard."

After outplaying the Windies in the Test series, India will now lock horns with the visitors in the 5-match ODI series. The first ODI will be played on October 21 at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati.

Topics mentioned in this article

India Cricket Team West Indies Cricket Team Virat Kohli Ravindra Jadeja Ajinkya Rahane Mayank Agarwal Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad India vs West Indies 2018 Cricket