'Body has been in zombie mode' - Dinesh Karthik feels it will take four weeks to achieve match-fitness

Cricket in India is stopped since March due to the Coronavirus outbreak and there is no idea when the sport will resume in the country. The players are slowly returning to the training now with the government slowly easing lockdown restrictions. Having spent all the time at home during the lockdown over the last three months, India cricketer Dinesh Karthik reckons it will roughly take four weeks for the players to attain match-fitness again.

He last took the field in February while featuring for Tamil Nadu in the Ranji Trophy when the 2019-20 season was in progress. However, since then, he has been confined to home with his wife Dipika Pallikal and is now planning to return to training gradually. He reckons that the recovery will be tough for the players after such a long break.

“I think the transition will be very tough. I think at least a minimum of four weeks, you need to start slowly, first it will be quality and then slowly increase the quantity and then the intensity. Right now the lockdown has eased a lot in Chennai, so you can get permission and go and practice, so I am planning to do that but I will do it gradually … the body has been completely in zombie mode, with me sitting at home and not doing much,” he said while speaking to ESPNCricinfo.

Dinesh Karthik last played for India last year in World Cup

As far as Dinesh Karthik is concerned, he will be keen to make a comeback to team India having last played for the country in the World Cup in 2019. He has been left out from both ODI and T20I side since then and his form post the pandemic will be crucial. Earlier he was eyeing a place in the T20I team ahead of the World Cup with a blistering show in the IPL but the tournament was suspended until further notice due to COVID-19.

The cash-rich league is now likely to be played later this year and the Tamil Nadu cricketer will be itching to get back on the field as soon as possible.