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.
![Sunil Gavaskar Speaks to Paddy Feeny During his Stint with Somerset in 1980 Regarding Fitness 25 Sunil Gavaskar Speaks to Paddy Feeny During his Stint with Somerset in 1980 Regarding Fitness.](https://cricketthrills.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/sunil-gavaskar-3.jpg)
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.
![Sunil Gavaskar Speaks to Paddy Feeny During his Stint with Somerset in 1980 Regarding Fitness 26 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.](https://cricketthrills.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Sunil-Gavaskar-43333.jpg)