Describing the Indian cricketers as "unbelievably talented", newly-appointed physical trainer Gregory Allen King on Saturday expressed confidence that he would succeed in minimising injury worries of the players.
"In any game, injuries will happen and they cannot be eradicated. But a trainer's job is to minimise them as much as possible, which I am sure of doing," said King, who was appointed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India.
King, who is in Chennai with coach John Wright to attend a three-day coaching seminar being conducted by the MRF, said his main job was to carry forward the work of his predecessor, fellow South African Adrian Le Roux, from whom he had already gathered all relevant information about the requirement of Indian players.
"I have had a long discussion with Roux who shared with me his experience with the Indian players. Wright has also briefed me on what needs to be done," he said.
"My discussion with Le Roux reveal that the Indian team is on the right track. Therefore, I have to keep it going and try to improve the fitness levels of the players."
King, whose appointment came in the wake of the sudden decision of Le Roux to resign and take up a similar position with the South African national team, said he was aware of the huge expectations from him and realised that the game was almost a religion in India.
"The game is a religion in India and the players are a unbelievably talented bunch, next only to the Australian side.
"I am happy with the assignment and I want to carry on from where Le Roux left," he said.
King said he was yet to formulate his own plan for the Indian cricketers and was currently in the process of gathering more information on the team. He will join team physiotherapist Andrew Leipus for a three-day conference for physical trainers and physiotherapists being conducted by the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore next month.
"It is a bit too early to say what I plan to do. After all, I have been appointed only yesterday and would take up the assignment in August.
"I have not started my own research on the Indian players. I will be spending about three days with Andrew in Bangalore at the National Cricket Academy. It is important to learn from people who are already handling the players," he said.
King, a post-graduate in Human Kinetics and Ergonomics, was a fitness trainer and sports scientist with the Border Cricket Board in South Africa since 1998. He has also worked as the fielding coach, fast bowler conditioning specialist and rehabilitation specialist.
He played cricket for the South African Universities and the East London provincial team from 1996-98 before taking up the job of a full-time trainer.
"There was no trainer in the team I was playing for. The coach of the team was looking for a trainer. I undertook a short course and then I stopped playing cricket and became a trainer for the team," he said.
"It is not essential for a trainer to have played cricket himself but it certainly helps. At the same time, it is not a very important thing," he said.
