Kohli has set high benchmark in fitness: John Gloster

Mumbai: Australian physio John Gloster served Bangladesh cricket for four years before moving to India in 2005. Now based in Mumbai, Gloster has been working with various cricketers through IPL, PSL and MCL tournaments.

The Aussie, who is associated with KOOH Sports — Education, Training & Technology Company, spoke to this newspaper about his time in the Indian team, the importance of fitness and how Kohli has set new benchmark.

Excerpts:
Talk us through the experience of working with the Indian team?
It was a fascinating journey. I started when John Wright was the coach and Sourav Ganguly as captain. Then came Greg Chappell era, Ravi Shastri and Gary Kirsten. The captains - Sourav, Rahul, Anil Kumble and MS Dhoni - I worked with were different characters, so it was very fascinating environment to be involved in. Dealing with the expectations of the public and media was one of the greatest challenges. It’s part and parcel of the professional sports.

How did you handle injuries to high profile players?
The experience helped me understand the players’ perspective. Injuries are inevitable and great players are no exception. Working with the likes of Sachin, Kumble and Dravid was a great experience because all of them were professionals when it comes to managing their careers. I felt I was working with the best in the business.

What’s your assessment of current Indian team?
It has improved remarkably. With someone like Virat Kohli at the helm it’s a given that fitness is high on the team’s agenda. He has set high benchmark in terms of being an example and with his discipline. Indian team is also fortunate to have Kumble as coach who knows the importance of fitness in modern-day cricket. And at NCA in Bengaluru, Andrew Leipus is in-charge of the injury prevention programme and I think it’s a great support system. BCCI has some key individuals for important positions.

You have been associated with IPL (Rajasthan Royals) since its inception. How has it been working with the likes of Rahul Dravid, Ajinkya Rahane and Shane Watson?
It’s always a pleasure to work with athletes who strive hard to improve their game even at the end of their careers. Rahul was consistently trying to improve his game, the way he adapted to T20 format showed the way for young guys like Rahane. Watson struggled with injuries throughout his international career and I tried to help him in some small way.