Cut the gym work out, says Boycott

The legendary Geoffrey Boycott has a simple message for aspiring cricketers: "Don't spend too much time in the gymnasium during the off-season. If you are a bowler, bowl a lot; if you are a batsman, do a lot of batting."

Boycott said in his playing days, since he was a batsman he did a lot of batting because it was expected of him.

"I did a certain amount of physical fitness... general fitness, but I did not see any point in running marathons," the former England opener said.

"So I built up all the muscles in my body and concentration in mind to be able to play a long game and make a lot of runs.

"Same for bowlers; their job is to bowl a lot of overs and take wickets. My view is that they should bowl a lot more. Don't spend too much time in the gym. Sometime, yes. Now, there are people with gym-fitness and not cricket-fitness.

"Important thing is to be cricket-fit. If you are a bowler, bowl a lot; if you are a batsman, do a lot of batting," Boycott said, as he spoke out his mind during an interaction with the under-19 trainees of the National Cricket Academy, India 'A' players, who are having a preparatory camp, and the media, in Bangalore on Tuesday.

A good cricketer is a thinking cricketer who uses his brain, said Boycott, who has been drafted by the Board of Control for Cricket in India to provide tips to the trainees and India 'A' players.

He said India's under-19 players are already very good players, adding, he is trying to help them understand to incorporate "little things to improve and take their next step up... which is very high level; hopefully, Test cricket".

"All these players are pretty good players; just like those playing county cricket in England," said Boycott, who spent the last few days with the under-19 trainees.

He said he focused on "little things such as technique, bowling and better concentration... little things that make the difference between a good zonal player to a Test match player".

"You can get away with certain amount of technique in zonal cricket and play quite well. But in Test cricket, there are no easy balls. Bowlers are hell-of-a-lot better in Test matches. There are no easy balls," he added.