India vs New Zealand: Indian T20I captain Rohit Sharma says: "Players are not machines"

India vs. New Zealand: Ahead of the upcoming NZ T20I series, Rohit Sharma pointed out that workload management is very important and that cricketers "need time out".

Indian T20 skipper Rohit Sharma said Tuesday his players were “not machines” and needed to rest before they face New Zealand on home turf just days after the World Cup. New Zealand's tour kicks off with the first of three Twenty20 internationals on Wednesday, just three days after the Kiwis lost in the Dubai tournament final. The games are spread across three Indian cities and end just four days before the tests in Kanpur (November 25-29) and Mumbai (December 3-7).

"Workload management is very important to us. Players are not machines. A break is necessary, ”said Sharma at a virtual press conference with India's new coach Rahul Dravid at his side. “Some players who have been playing for a long time need rest to stay fresh. We want all of our guys to be mentally fresh for the challenges ahead, ”he added.

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Indian test captain Virat Kohli has chosen the T20 series and will also miss the first test. New Zealand captain Kane Williamson is also unavailable for the short format games, but will return for the encounter in Kanpur.

Former hit hero Dravid said cricketers must follow football's lead when it comes to managing their workload.

“Even in football, the big players don't play all the games. The mental and physical well-being of a player (is) very important, ”he said. Earlier in the day, Kiwi Paceman Tim Southee admitted that the team's tight scheduling and long times in Covid bubbles weighed on his side.