The promising cricket career of a young Rajasthan spinner has hit an unexpected roadblock, raising serious concerns about how junior players are managed in domestic tournaments. Anurag Vishnoi, a left-arm spinner for the Rajasthan under-16 team, has been sidelined with an injury after being forced to bowl an astonishing 103 overs across just two matches within a week during the Vijay Merchant Trophy.
An Immense and Costly Workload
The sequence of events began with Rajasthan's first two matches of the tournament against Odisha and Pondicherry. In the opening game against Odisha, Anurag delivered 17 overs in the first innings. As Rajasthan enforced the follow-on, his workload skyrocketed, bowling a marathon 40 overs in the second innings. This meant the young bowler was in action for two consecutive days in the three-day fixture.
After a mere three-day gap, the team faced Pondicherry. Despite the short recovery period, Anurag was again thrust into the thick of action, bowling 23 overs in each innings, adding another 46 overs to his tally. The cumulative physical strain proved too much for his developing body.
The Aftermath and Official Response
The consequence of this excessive bowling load was inevitable. Anurag's body broke down, initially forcing him to miss one match. His condition, described by some officials as "muscle stiffness" and by others as a "shoulder injury" to his bowling arm, has now put his participation in doubt for the subsequent games, including the final league match scheduled for December 29.
Rajasthan U-16 coach Nirpjit Singh Surpur confirmed the situation, stating, "Anurag bowled continuously in the first two matches and took 14 wickets. He had pain in his shoulder, so the physio asked us to give him rest for one game, but he couldn’t get fit for the fourth game as well. We will have a meeting soon and take a call."
Broader Questions on Junior Player Management
This incident has ignited a debate on the responsibility of support staff and the effectiveness of the BCCI’s workload-management protocols for age-group cricketers. Experts in junior cricket have weighed in, highlighting what constitutes a safe bowling load.
Dhruv Thakkar, the Gujarat U-16 coach, provided context, noting that on average, a junior pacer is expected to bowl 30-35 overs, while spinners can manage around 40 overs across two innings. He acknowledged that Anurag's 57 overs in a single match and 103 overs overall clearly amounts to overbowling.
"The practice schedule is prepared keeping workload in mind," Thakkar explained. "But during matches, overs are not usually counted and a player has to bowl according to the requirement. That is why we make sure that after the game, a player gets good rest, including ice baths, Epsom salt and pool recovery."
He also revealed that teams maintain detailed records of a player's bowling workload throughout the year, which are sent to the BCCI's Centre of Excellence for monitoring.
Echoing these concerns, Madhya Pradesh U-16 coach Abdus Samad Khan remarked, "Bowling 50-plus overs in a three-day match is a lot. Here, communication between the support staff and player has to be honest."
The injury to Anurag Vishnoi serves as a stark reminder of the fine line between nurturing talent and overburdening it, putting the spotlight firmly on the systems meant to protect India's future cricket stars.
