In 1980, when Sunil Gavaskar was playing for Somerset, he had a brief chat with Paddy Feeny regarding the importance of fitness during those days. Let’s enjoy the brief interview.
Paddy Feeny: What about the business of fitness as far as you’re concerned about playing for Somerset? Have you found that you’ve had to go in for a special exercise, or that you had to take up some weight training or anything like that?
Gavaskar: No, actually, I was fortunate because I came down to Somerset after having just finished a season in India, and I think that meant that I didn’t really have to do anything extraordinary. In fact, when it comes to doing exercises, I really have never been able to do much. I prefer to bowl a lot in the nets and keep myself fit that way, or, you know, do a bit of batting in the nets or do exercises in the dressing room to keep myself fit.
But so far I haven’t felt the need to do anything extra, and the only thing that I’m concerned about and the only thing that I’m very keen to do before I leave Somerset is to throw myself at the ball, which is to dive as I see the other team-mates in the Somerset team do. And I’m sure when I do dive, I’m going to get a lot of applause from the rest of my teammates.
Paddy Feeny: Because presumably, diving is not a thing that you’d do on a hard wicket in India. Is that right?
Sunil Gavaskar: That’s right, the grounds over there are harder, but I think the most important thing about diving is that when you see the kids in England, they have no fear of diving because the grass is lush green; it’s softer. In India, I think the maidans, where you start playing cricket when you’re a kid, are rough, very rough, so you know when you dive around there you’re likely to get seriously injured.
So I think the kids in India wouldn’t be in the habit of diving. So perhaps when you get into first-class cricket, you’ll find that diving becomes a little difficult. But I suppose that if you try, and maybe with a little more practice, I should think it’s not all that difficult.
Paddy Feeny: Well, with my limited experience of fifth-rate cricket, I can tell you one thing, the first time you dive is a marvelous sensation because you feel that you’re almost flying parallel with the ground. It does feel great.
Gavaskar: I must try that before the end of the season, for sure.
