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I'll give Sachin ten out of ten on fitness scale: Gloster

BANGALORE: John Gloster has been associated with Indian cricket in one role or another since the end of 2004. And as the national team prepared to climb one peak after another, Gloster played a key role as the physio of the Indian team from 2005-2008 during which Dhoni's men began their triumphant march lifting the T20 World Cup. On Tuesday, Gloster, the Rajasthan Royals physio, saluted the work ethics of top Indian players and gave Little Master Sachin Tendulkar a perfect 10 on the fitness scale. "Sachin is one of the smartest cricketers and trainers I know because he knows his body and his game better than anybody else. I'll give him ten out of ten because as he got older he realized what he can do what he can't do and that's a very difficult thing to do. He has this ability to know what his limits are and how to push those limits all the time without overdoing it and therefore not stressing himself too much physically. He's learnt that because he's been in the game for 21 years," Gloster told TOI in an interaction. Gloster said it is the mental toughness part that separates the best from the rest of the bunch. "I try not to separate the mental and physical aspects as there is a strong interlink between the two. For the Sachins, Dhonis and Warnes how they approach their mental game is as important as their physical game. They take their physical game to the next level because they are able to take the mental game to the next level in terms of toughness and durability. I think what separates them is their mental game," said Gloster who is working with Rajasthan Royals from the start of the IPL. "MS ( Dhoni) I believe is an extremely durable character. To do what he does day in and day out behind the stumps, being mentally switched on all the time. Again he is right up there, in the 9 and 10s. If you look at him he is a supreme athlete but he is very strong. Viru (Virender Sehwag) is someone who has worked hard on his physical game over the last few years. I don't think physical fitness was so important for Viru early in his career as he had the natural gift. But looking at his game he has made more of an effort now. I would never rate him in the lower half of the scale though he is not a naturally gifted athlete. He is now learning to train smartly," the reputed physio said. Yoga helped Warne: Amazed at the way Royals skipper Shane Warne worked his way back to supreme fitness, Gloster said it is all the more remarkable as it comes from a 42-year-old. "It is a very different Shane Warne that has come to IPL 4. Shane has trained very different this time and incorporated a number of training techniques which he never had in the past and the results are showing. He has been very focused and disciplined in his approach, diet, training and fitness. Warney has started doing things like yoga and relaxation techniques. When you are not playing professionally you have to work that extra bit harder in the lead-up to ensure that you are ready when the tournament starts. Warney has done that this year. I think Shane is in the best shape in all these years I have known him. Over 40 and training it is a lot harder. The body does ache a lot more. Hats off to him to train like this at his age," he said. Beware of burnouts: Gloster, who also travels with Australian Shane Watson, warned that if the senior cricketers and over-worked youngsters don't take a break to relax there will be increasing number of burnouts. "The biggest problem I see in the world cricket is mental fatigue. These guys are getting tired and they are not able to get refreshed. They are not able to spend much time with their family, friends and rejuvenate themselves. That eventually takes a toll on them physically and their performance. I don't think it is a problem for the senior players or overworked junior players to take some time off the game to refresh mentally to switch off and allow their mind to relax and then go back to the game afterwards. Burnout is more mental than physical. And I think we are going to see more of that," he said.

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