At the 46th National Conference of the Anatomical Society of India held late last year, a medical reseacrh paper presented by a senior professor and his colleague from the Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, created quite a stir. The paper dwelt on a novel area of reserch - cricket.
Titled A Biomechanical Analysis Of Tendulkar's On-Drive the paper prophesised that in the not-too-distant future, Sachin Tendulkar, India's start batsman, would suffer from a hip or knee injury brought about by any one r all of the following three factors . . .
The inferences were drawn by the researchers after close and repeated studies of the opening batsman's stroke play and stance.
 |
This is a typical lofted shot played by Sachin Tendulkar. From this picture it can
be seen that as Sachin executes his shot, his torso and
hip move in the anti-clockwise direction whereas his
left-knee remains locked and his left foot remains
anchored on the ground. Faulty footwork? |
The warning was ignored : The authors contended that improper transmission of torsional forces and torque (couple) induced by the body pivot on moored left ankle during the performance of Sachin's most productive lofted shots, could lead to the stretching and rupture of his left iliofemoral ligament at hip, or more damagingly, a bucket handle type avulsion of the left knee's medial meniscular ligament.
It was then, for the first time ever, at a national level medical science congress, a research paper on biomechanics and kinesiology of cricket, was being presented and discussed. Apart from delegates at the venue, Karad in Maharashtra, none, either from the sports administration arena, or from the press, as much as glanced at the unique research and its ominous warning. Six months before that, the public and cricket mandarins at BCCI got a clue about Sachin's physical status, wherein he limped and bent over his bat at Sharjah and Chennai. Professor Arunachalam Kumar, the medical anatomist, had written exhaustively on the high odds in favour of the batsman being crippled and compromised before the end of 1999.
In an earlier article on the same topic, which appeared in the local press, the author had highlighted the oncoming doom. That had been six months before Sachin flew to England for treatment of a nagging loin-groin incapacitation.
Were these just flippant comments made by amateur cricket lovers or were the findings those deduced from serious and sustained study?
Past predictions : In the past Dr Kumar had categorically declared that any off-spinner bowling a faster ball, would perforce have to bend his elbow - a fact proved by the spate of no-balling. Chauhan, Harbhajan and Muralitharan - and the tactic confession of Sonny Ramadhin, an off-spinner of the yester-year from the West Indies, that he chucked every faster delivery. Dr Kumar, after kinetically studying pace bowling had predicted five years ago that a paceman could deliver faster were he to strap a wristwatch on his bowling arm. Today, Darren Gough sports one, on his right wrist, and is England's fastest bowler.
The problem : Dr Kumar's colleague, Dr K P Seetarama Rao, a doctorate in anatomy, who jointly presented the Tendulkar papaer at Karad, is of the opinion that a timely intervention, rest and recuperation in Tendulkar's crowded cricket calender would have probably led to full recovery and health of the cricketer."No one ever listens to professionals any more, nor ever did" he says sadly. "Astrologers and match-fixers are having a field day at the cost and health of our match-winning sportsmen."
| Alarming Prognosis | What Sachin should do? |
| The doctor predicts : "Sachin will be
unable to play more than a couple of matches at the World
Cup without aggravating his joint injury. In myopinion he
should be rested totally from playing at Sharjah and
other tournaments scheduled from now to the World
Cup". Further, according to the doctor-professor, "Sachin's cricket career at Test-level is as good as over". A strong statement coming from a man who claims to know. And care. But is anyone listening? |
Dr Kumar advises what Tendulkar should do with
immediate effect
|
Deaf ears? A popular weekly published from Kerala had in fact contacted Dr Kumar three months ago asking for all details of the prophetic diagnosis, much before the calamity actually unfolded. However, they did not follow it up. The silence has cost India dearly.
"In a larger context, being based in smaller towns and districts, media coverage and dissemination of information is handicapped. Scientists from capital cities and prestigious centres sometimes get undue media coverage for lesser work while outstanding research resulting from interior India remain largely ignored" say the researchers.
Says Dr Kumar "I'm not angry, just disappointed. i am not just an anatomist with a die-hard interest in the game. I happen to be a qualified referee for the Amateur Body Builders Federation Of India, knowing something about physique and fitness". incidentally, he is also a registered umpire for the Karnataka State Cricket Association.
Who is Dr Kumar? With a finding like this, naturally the credentials of the professor have come into reckoning. Here they are . .