Donning India colours was always a dream she couldn’t realise as a player. But on Sunday when India won the women’s Under-19 World Cup in South Africa, the 33-year-old M. Shalini had every reason to feel proud — for she was the strength and conditioning coach of the victorious Indian team.
The former Hyderabad cricketer, who last played for seniors in 2016, had been working almost non-stop with the India under-19 girls for the last two months. The demanding schedule included bilateral series in India and South Africa followed by the World Cup warm-up games.
Training focus
“The focus was on recovery, nutrition and fitness. I am glad the girls, most of them very young and new to this kind of exposure, responded in style. The fact that fielding was one of the factors in India’s famous win should be a tribute to the way the girls ensured that they were match-fit right through,” Shalini said in a chat with The Hindu.
“We kept educating the players about the demands of playing cricket at this level and in such high-intensity format too,” she said.
“The sessions were planned with players’ interests as top priority and the matches ahead. We always ensured there was no overload of any aspect of fitness training,” Shalini said.
Giving back to the game
Shalini, who was earlier with India-A and the Challenger teams, enjoyed every moment. “The way the girls played, I am sure the future of Indian women’s cricket is in safe hands. They were just brilliant and consistent too right through the World Cup,” she said.
“Giving back to the game has always been my passion and I am glad that. I could contribute to the team’s success. Obviously, being a member of the World Cup-winning squad is the biggest moment of my life,” signed off Shalini.
