Pakistan cricket has a new weapon in its battle against persistent fitness and fielding woes — and it’s not a drill, a gym routine, or a yoga session. It’s padel, the fast-growing racket sport that blends tennis and squash.
Why Padel? The Fitness Fix Pakistan Cricket Needed
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has officially made padel training mandatory for centrally contracted players attending long-duration camps at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Lahore. The move, led by senior selector and Director of High Performance Aqib Javed, requires players to complete 40-minute padel sessions on alternate days.
How Padel Targets Cricket’s Weakest Links
Padel is not a random choice. The sport demands rapid lateral movement, sharp hand-eye coordination, explosive reaction speed, and sustained aerobic endurance — all areas where Pakistan cricketers have historically struggled, particularly in fielding and running between wickets. By integrating padel, the PCB hopes to build these attributes in a dynamic, game-like environment rather than repetitive drills.
The Aqib Javed Factor: A Coach’s Unconventional Bet
Aqib Javed, known for his no-nonsense approach as a former fast bowler and now as Director of High Performance, is the driving force behind the initiative. His mandate is clear: improve the physical standards of the national pool. The padel program is part of a broader overhaul of training methods at the NCA, which has faced criticism in recent years for failing to produce players with international-level fitness.
What This Means for Players and Upcoming Series
For players in the central contract pool, the padel sessions are now a non-negotiable part of camp life. The training is designed to complement existing fitness regimens, not replace them. The immediate goal is to have players match-ready for upcoming international series, where Pakistan will face demanding schedules across formats.
Padel vs Traditional Fitness: A Smarter Approach?
Traditional cricket fitness often relies on gym work, running drills, and fielding practice. Padel offers a different stimulus — it forces players to make split-second decisions while moving in multiple directions, mimicking the unpredictability of a cricket field. The sport’s growing global popularity also adds a psychological benefit: players may find it more engaging than monotonous conditioning work.
Confirmed Facts vs What Remains Unclear
Confirmed: PCB has introduced mandatory padel training at NCA Lahore for central pool cricketers in long-duration camps. Sessions are 40 minutes on alternate days. Aqib Javed is leading the initiative. Unclear: Whether the program applies to all centrally contracted players or only those at specific camps. The exact timeline for measuring fitness improvements has not been disclosed. It is also unclear if the initiative will extend to domestic or age-group cricketers.
Risks and Balanced View
While padel training offers clear benefits, some critics may question whether it addresses deeper structural issues in Pakistan cricket’s fitness culture. Past initiatives — from yoga camps to military-style boot camps — have yielded mixed results. There is also the risk of injury from an unfamiliar sport, though padel is generally considered low-impact compared to tennis or squash. The PCB will need to monitor player adaptation closely.
Wider Trend: Cricket Boards Embracing Cross-Training
Pakistan is not alone in using alternative sports for cricket fitness. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has used football drills, while Australian cricketers have incorporated boxing and surfing. India’s National Cricket Academy has experimented with yoga and swimming. Padel, however, is a relatively new entrant, and Pakistan’s move could set a precedent for other boards.
Practical Guidance for Players and Fans
For players in the national pool, the message is simple: embrace the padel sessions as a tool to improve match-day performance. For fans, the initiative signals that the PCB is willing to think outside the box to address long-standing fitness issues. Those interested in trying padel themselves can find courts in major Pakistani cities, as the sport has been growing steadily in the country.
Future Outlook: Will Padel Produce Results?
The success of this initiative will be measured not in sessions completed, but in improved fielding stats, sharper running between wickets, and fewer fitness-related breakdowns during matches. If the program shows tangible results, it could become a permanent fixture at the NCA. If not, it may join the list of well-intentioned experiments that failed to change Pakistan cricket’s fitness culture.
Our Take
The PCB’s padel mandate is a creative, low-risk bet on cross-training. It acknowledges that traditional methods alone have not solved Pakistan’s fitness problems. Whether it works depends on execution, player buy-in, and consistent monitoring. But the willingness to try something different — especially under Aqib Javed’s leadership — is a positive sign. Pakistan cricket needs more such unconventional thinking, provided it is backed by data and discipline.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is padel training and why is the PCB making it mandatory?
Padel is a racket sport combining elements of tennis and squash. The PCB has made it mandatory for centrally contracted cricketers at NCA Lahore to improve reaction speed, lateral movement, hand-eye coordination, and aerobic endurance.
Who is leading the padel training initiative at the NCA?
Senior selector and Director of High Performance Aqib Javed is spearheading the mandatory padel sessions for Pakistan cricketers.
How often will players have to do padel training?
Players attending long-duration camps at the NCA must complete 40-minute padel sessions on alternate days.
Will padel training replace traditional cricket fitness drills?
No, the padel sessions are designed to complement existing fitness regimens, not replace them. They target specific athletic attributes like reaction speed and lateral movement.
