Sachin and Kumble cannot be faulted

Mumbai: For a perspective on the spate of injuries that have taken their toll on the Indian team, Roma Khanna spoke to John Gloster who was India's physio till recently.
John Gloster: With cricket, like in any sport it is about balancing the work load with rest and recovery. And you just have to find that balance. Sometimes it is difficult with the scheduling and the situation in international cricket. But we have to find that balance.
The other thing it is not just about physical fatigue, a lot of it is mental fatigue also. We have just come from a long tour of Australia, which is psychologically as well as physically a very demanding tour.
Roma Khanna: How do you deal with players like Sachin who is 34 and has aggravated an old injury. And Anil Kumble who is 37?
John Gloster: The older a player is the harder he has to work to maintain a standard of fitness and they know that and they work accordingly. Neither of those players can be faulted for their work effort.
And the amount of work that Anil and senior players like Sachin put in behind the scenes which is not always seen. It is about giving them the right advice about what they need to do at their particular age group and their discipline within the game. And effectively managing their work load and a good amount of conditioning to ensure they are capable of performing at the highest level.
Roma Khanna: Are you under pressure to deal with a player who probably should not be playing?
John Gloster: You have to keep the best interest of the player in mind.