Hesson targets fitness overhaul in Pakistan white-ball camp at NCA

LAHORE – Pakistan men’s white-ball head coach Mike Hesson while talking exclusively to PCB Digital has said the ongoing white-ball camp at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) is focused on improving the fitness, conditioning and skills of players ahead of upcoming assignments. The camp which commenced on Monday, 15 June at the National Cricket Academy, includes white-ball specialist players, emerging cricketers and players identified for future international commitments. “We started the white-ball camp two weeks ago here at the National Cricket Academy. We have had around 27 to 28 players taking part in it. The first couple of weeks of the white-ball camp have mainly been about medical testing and fitness assessments, which allow us to get a baseline of where the players are at. “We also have time to make some real improvements from a conditioning point of view. From next week, we will start working on the skills side alongside fitness.” Talking about the timing of the camp and how the players can work on their fitness and skills, Hesson said: “Most white-ball players, especially those involved in different formats, struggle to get a good block of training. A huge advantage for us is that we have almost three months where we can make some big gains from a conditioning point of view. “Dr Javed Mughal has come in and set some high standards in terms of medical screening and conditioning. The players are finding it tough, which is no surprise. When you play for long periods, fitness levels can go down from a general conditioning and strength perspective. “To withstand the demands of international cricket, players have to be incredibly fit and strong. We are working on both areas.” Hesson added that every player at the camp has been given an individual performance plan to ensure focused development. “We start every camp with individual meetings involving the player, the head coach, NCA staff, the conditioning and the medical teams. We are all working together to co