ASIA CUP 2018: Hardik Pandya's on-field injury exposes Team India's lack of fitness, planning and rehabilitation policy

Another one bites the dust. Another player carried on a stretcher for injury the sight of which is not pleasant for any cricket lover. Seemingly, one of the fittest Indian players from outer appearance, Hardik Pandya had a mystery fall in the final ball of the 18th over of the Asia Cup match against Pakistan on Thursday, after bowling a delivery before losing balance and straining his lower back.

The stumble wasn't that bad but surprisingly, Hardik fell flat on his back looking up towards the sky in deep pain gasping for breath. The injury bulletin will be out soon. It may just be a sprain in lower back or equivalent, but the question whicharises is, 'why does it happen again and again with Indian pace bowlers?'

Are their fitness not at par with English, Proteas and Aussie counterparts? Are Indian bowlers' muscles not strong enough as compared to other top ranked nations? Are the rehabilitation programme and injury management not working in the right direction for the seam bowlers? Apart from Kapil Dev, all other top pace bowlers' career in India have been cut short by injuries and lack of proper rehabilitation. 

READ: GET WELL SOON PANDYA: Twitter Wishes Quick Recovery For The Indian All-rounder After He Is Stretchered Off The Field During Asia Cup 2018 Match Against Pakistan

The likes of Javagal Srinath, Zaheer Khan and Ajit Agarkar were never the same bowlers after their stint of injuries cut short their potential long and successful careers. Varun Aaron, the forgotten man who could had the ability to bowl over 145 kmp/h, is another example of how rehabilitation program got horribly wrong. Ashish Nehra, once described by Pakistani great Wasim Akram as India's finest ever left arm bowler, suffered recurring injury to his fragile leg, and heavily truncated his career thanks to lack of solution, plan and injury management by the richest cricketing board in the world.

Coming back to Pandya. He doesn't bowl express deliveries like Jasprit Bumrah but generates lively pace which requires muscle strength and fitness to avoid any sudden fall a resulting injury. Unlike football and other contact games, cricket is certainly not a sport where we see players taken out on a stretcher. 

BCCI will do well to address the issue quickly and adequately or else a time might come when the association would require similar stretcher but there would be nobody to carry them out.