The Indian cricket team’s fitness programme suffered a dent on Sunday when trainer Adrian le Roux decided to switch allegiance to his national team — South Africa. Even as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) took a day to recover its composure and issue laudatory statements on the 31-year-old South African’s services, it brought out a strange fact: the new contract had not been signed by either party. The initial contract the BCCI had entered into with John Wright (coach), Andrew Leipus (physio) and Le Roux had expired after the World Cup. But a wave of support from the players resulted in BCCI chief Jagmohan Dalmiya extending their respective tenures for another year. Sources in the BCCI confirmed that a letter of understanding was sent to the respective parties. But the contract would only have come into effect after the Working Committee’s approval. It meant that the back-up trio of the Indian cricket team had to wait till the Working Committee met (scheduled later this month). Team will miss Adrian: Sachin • We have received a communication from Le Roux resigning from the position of fitness trainer. Adrian did a wonderful job with the team and this was reflected in the results. BCCI is looking for a suitable replacement. — JAgmohan Dalmiya • He had different set of excercises for each player and within a short span of time the players’ fitness improved by leaps and bounds which reflected in the overall performance of the team. Obviously we will miss him. — Sachin Tendulkar Little wonder then that during the press conference in Kolkata on Monday, Dalmiya cleverly sidestepped a query on a breach of contract. ‘‘They are by and large morally committed to the contract,’’ remarked a BCCI official on the condition of anonymity. ‘‘Otherwise how could John Wright be in Bangalore?’’ he queried. ‘‘Leipus will also be coming to the NCA (National Cricket Academy) later this month for a seminar of physios,’’ he added. But the basic question remains: Why the delay in signing the contract? The BCCI officials indicate that’s how the system works here. But for a professional it means uncertainty. And it was probably this insecurity coupled with a much-cherished ambition of assisting his national team that caused le Roux to part ways with Indian cricket. His tenure, which lasted a year beginning with the Indian team’s tour of West Indies (April-May 2002), will, however, be remembered for turning a bunch of fragile bodies into tough cookies. The Indian team sported a fitter demeanour than ever during a hectic calendar year, which included trips to England and New Zealand besides the World Cup. A no-nonsense man, Le Roux cared little for reputations and prima donnas in his endeavour to bring about a fitness revolution in the Indian team. Not many know that he, along with Leipus, used the New Zealand tour as a fitness clinic for the World Cup. The team may have fared disastrously against the Kiwis but they ended up as the fittest bunch to land in South Africa. The onus will now be on the Indian players to continue with the fitness regimen initiated by the likes of Le Roux and Leipus and keep the culture alive.
