Jhulan Goswami talks about taking it slow once training resumes

Jhulan Goswami, India's premier fast bowler believes things should not be rushed back once the situation returns to normalcy. The veteran was last seen in the blue jersey in India's tour of West Indies last November. She picked up four wickets and helped India clinch the series 2-1. After that tour, Goswami played a few matches for Bengal in the domestic 50-over competition in March but nothing much since.



"The momentum is broken, so it will take some time to get back in shape," she told Sportstar about taking one step at a time. "But we cannot rush things."



Like her ODI captain Mithali Raj, Goswami, too, wants to give it her all for next year's ICC Women's Cricket World Cup. She was hoping to get back to training with her teammates but due to COVID-19 pandemic and its subsequent restrictions, the fast bowler was confined to being at home. Although the lockdown is easing down in the country, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is yet to issue guidelines regarding resumption of training.



"We will have to wait for further instructions. As and when the restrictions are relaxed, we need to coordinate with the local associations and start training, maintaining social distancing," the pacer said.



Like Goswami, many of her teammates are keeping themselves busy by training and doing fitness drills at home. But no one has started training outdoors yet.



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"When you are coming back to a competitive environment, there is a possibility of the niggles resurfacing," said the 37-year-old. "That will, again, be a challenge. So, you have to be very careful and take things step by step. It’s not going to be easy, but we need to be calculative and smart in our approach. We cannot afford to rush things and even as we start training, things have to be systematic."



Goswami who has taken 225 wickets in ODIs and 40 wickets in ten Tests, feels ICC's decision on banning the use of salvia to shine the ball will primarily have an impact in the red-ball cricket, but once the players get used to it, then it should not be a problem.



"As a fast bowler, we are used to using the saliva to shine the ball. So it is not easy to change the habits overnight. But we need to deal with it and come up with a new innovation. For that, regular practice will be the key."



She also stated that the chances of matches being played in the empty stadiums should be kept as an option due to the current situation.



"The game will change for sure - there will be no celebrations, team-mates need to maintain social distances - but the only positive will be the fact that we will at least play the game again. That’s of prime importance," the seasoned campaigner said.