Cricket World Cup 2019: Virat Kohli led Team India to wear high-tech device under vest to track workload

Cricket World Cup 2019: Virat Kohli led Team India to don a high-tech device under their vests to track heavy workload during the World Cup

The Decision Review System (DRS), the flashing bails on top of the stumps, and now a device to track teams’ heavy workload. Technology has a different world of its own. Nevertheless, as long as it benefits mankind with minimum threats to life, everything’s welcome.

And if it’s our favourite sport- Cricket, the technology has certainly been a boon, whether its the DRS, or the red-lighted bails or the one which is about to be introduced in Indian cricket.

Now, the Indian men’s Cricket team are all geared up for a high technology and a high-resolution unit under their vests which they’ll don during the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 in UK.

What will the technology do?

The device will be used to monitor their movements of the players on the field, and keep track of their workload during the showpiece tournament. The equipment is being provided by UK-based company STATSports, which announced the deal after contract signing between them and the BCCI.

A similar sort of a device have been used by teams like Australia, New Zealand and England previously, particularly for monitoring their body conditions.

“Few other national cricket teams (England, Australia, Sri Lanka) do use them of different brands. It is the most user-friendly and accurate device. The vest is worn under T-shirt and only a bulge is seen at the back,” Pankaj Wankhede, the Regional Manager (South Asia) was quoted as saying by Deccan Chronicle.

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The fact that the Indian cricketers are the busiest amongst all cricketing nations is a given. There’s also not much of a difference in the gap between the IPL and the next match India play on May 24, 2019 (practice match against NZ). Reitrating the same, Mr.Wankhede said, “Indian cricketers are the busiest athletes in the world. The game of cricket is very physically demanding. Our system (GPS) will monitor their fitness level, measure hundreds of physical metrics including distance, speed, acceleration, deceleration, high-speed running, and dynamic stress load. And, this will enable the physio and trainer to assess players’ fitness level and rehabilitation of the injured players.”

Mr. Wankhede also said that the Indian team players were given a demo of the device in December of 2018, with a full description of what it does and how the results are analyzed. He further said that the devices can be worn during practice and net sessions, while also during the international matches in the upcoming mega ICC event, like players from England and Australia do.