Diet is extremely important in fitness: Ahmed Banday

There is one player who has surpassed Virat in Yo-yo test and is considered to be fitter than the Indian skipper. If numbers are anything to go by, Ahmed Banday, a resident of Srinagar, has bettered Kohi and Manish Pandey with a score of 19.2.

Hyderabad: Cricket has changed over the years. With the introduction of different formats, fitness has become an important aspect of the sport. Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli has repeatedly attributed his success to strict diet and exercise and has himself set the example for other members in the team.

But there is one player who has surpassed Virat in Yo-yo test and is considered to be fitter than the Indian skipper. If numbers are anything to go by, Ahmed Banday, a resident of Srinagar, has bettered Kohi and Manish Pandey with a score of 19.2.

In an exclusive interview with ETV Bharat, Banday talks about what it takes to maintain fitness especially in the times of Covid.

Excerpts:

Q. What's the secret behind your fitness?

I got to know about it very recently. There was an article that came up through which I got to know that I am number one. I maintain my diet during off season as well and probably that is the reason behind me being at the number one spot. Hence, diet and fitness are crucial during off season.

Q. Tell us about the yo-yo test...

Yo-yo test are basically shuttered runs. You have to run continuously in a distance of 20 metres, starting with 8 km/hr which goes up to 22, 23 depending upon the capability of a person. Indian team's standard is currently 17.4. That's the bar they have set and the player who crosses this mark are eligible to play for the team. I have scored 19.4 and 19.2.

Q. So what exactly do you do? What is the most important aspect of fitness according to you?

For me, the diet has always been extremely important. One doesn't need to consume fatty foods and carbs and that increases inner capacity. This means you perform well in less amount of oxygen. It's all about how much are you able to perform in a limited amount of oxygen.

Q. How did you manage training during Covid?

Covid had happened six, seven months ago. We were not able to go out and do fitness training. The most important thing for me when the lockdown happened was how do I maintain my fitness. So what I did was I bought some equipment in April and started training. I also followed a diet which was crucial.