Cricketers resume individual training

A number of top-level cricketers resumed individual training in different BCB-run training facilities across the country today.

Although some of them have done light individual training , mostly on maintaining fitness, since the outbreak of coronavirus, this is the first time that the BCB has opened training facilities for those cricketers who showed interest in resuming training at BCB-run facilities.

National tem's former captain Mushfiqur Rahim, middle-order batsman Mohammad Mithun and pacer Shafiul Islam had their training sessions at the BCB Academy ground and indoor facilities in Mirpur today.

Nasum Ahmed, Khaled Ahmed, Nurul Hasan, Nayeem Hasan and Mehedi Hasan are the others who reportedly had their individual training sessions in other parts of the country. 

"We got this opportunity to train after four long months. Batting, running -- everything felt a little difficult since everything we did in the past four months was indoors. Hopefully things will be less difficult and we will get back our fluency gradually," Mithun told reporters after his individual training session in Mirpur. 

Although Mushfiqur, Mithun and Shafiul trained in Mirpur in the morning, authorities made sure their individual sessions were kept apart to ensure physical distancing.

These players will be continuing their practice till July 26 with the board's dedicated Covid-19 management team keeping track and observing players' safety issues throughout this period. Only players practising in Mirpur will be allowed to do batting in the nets alongside fitness training while players outside Dhaka will only work on their fitness. 

"We only had gym and running pratices at home in the past few months. Today was the first time I went back to the ground after a long break. But I only had running drills there, didn't get the opportunity to bowl as there is no bowling facility at the ground. I will do gym and running in the next few days too," said pacer Khaled Ahmed, who had his session at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium where spinner Nasum Ahmed, too, trained.

The training period may be extended after Eid. The Board is considering this training regime as a test case as they plan to resume training on a large scale if these cricketers can successfully complete the seven-day programme without any mishaps.