Boys should keep at cricket until the age of around 20 if they love the game, as that is the time their fitness would be at its best, Javagal Srinath, former India fast bowler and an International Cricket Council match referee, said here on Sunday.
During an interaction with the media organised by the Dakshina Kannada Cricket Association, the Mysore-born player said that even if boys were not chosen to play in the under-15 tournaments, they should not lose heart as it was around the age of 19 that most boys go through a “growth spurt”, which would make their body extremely fit for the game.
He said that boys should give an “honest try” to the game until the age of about 20. Mr. Srinath said the Karnataka State Cricket Association had seen two privately held potential sites for cricket grounds in Mangalore, but nothing had yet come of it. It would have been ideal if the Nehru Maidan was available, but since it was not, around 2 acres of land that were close to the city would be required, he said. Earlier, speaking to presspersons after the heart run marathon organised by the Kasturba Medical College here ahead of the World Heart Day on September 29, Mr. Srinath declined to comment on the remarks supposedly made by Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar about Indian players Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid.
