The Indian Premier League (IPL) isn’t just about smashing sixes and taking wickets—it’s also about peak fitness, endurance, and explosive power. With the 2025 season underway, cricketers are sweating it out in the gym and on the field to ensure they are in top form before every big match. So, what exactly goes into their fitness regimen?
For the unversed, IPL 2025 begins on March 22 with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) playing against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). The finals will be held on May 25 at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
“Please be healthy”: KKR co-owner Shah Rukh Khan has extended his best wishes to the team
“God bless you. Please be healthy, be happy. And thank you, Chandu sir, for looking after them. Welcome aboard to the new members. Thank you, Ajinkya, for joining us and being a captain. God bless you, and I hope you will find a good home here and play well with all of us. Have a good evening, a good match, and be healthy.”
With tight schedules, back-to-back matches, and travel across cities, IPL players can’t afford to slack off when it comes to fitness. Unlike other formats, T20 cricket is fast-paced, demanding quick reflexes, agility, and the ability to recover swiftly. Strength, speed, endurance, and flexibility are non-negotiable, making fitness a top priority for every cricketer.
Cricketers engage in a certain workout format for the match.
Strength training
A powerful body ensures a cricketer can hit the ball harder, bowl with more pace, and field with greater intensity. Strength training is a must for cricketers. It includes deadlifts, squats, and bench presses are common exercises to build core and lower-body strength; medicine ball slams, resistance band work, and sled pushes help improve explosive power; essential for batsmen and bowlers, players do wrist curls, farmer’s walks, and rope pulls to build a stronger grip.
Core workouts
A strong core is key to better balance, power, and injury prevention. Here’s what cricketers swear by planks (standard, side, and dynamic variations), Russian Twists, leg raises and hanging knee tucks and Bosu ball exercises for stability.
Here’s what they do for speed and agility
T20 cricket demands sharp movements—whether it’s stealing a quick single, sprinting to stop a boundary, or diving for a catch. Here’s how players train for speed and agility:
Sprint drills: Shuttle runs, 20m sprints, and hill sprints to improve acceleration.
Agility ladder drills: Improves footwork and coordination, crucial for fielding and running between wickets.
Cone drills: Enhances change of direction and reaction time.
Plyometrics: Box jumps, broad jumps, and bounding drills boost explosive power.
For endurance and stamina
T20 matches may last just a few hours, but the intensity is sky-high. To avoid burnout and maintain energy levels, cricketers work on their stamina with High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) that combines short bursts of high-speed running with active recovery periods; long-distance running to build cardiovascular endurance to keep up with the match’s demands; cycling & rowing to build endurance while reducing stress on the joints.
Specific workouts for bowlers and batsmen
Fast bowlers need a different fitness plan compared to batsmen. Their routine focuses on shoulder strength workouts like resistance band exercises, military presses, and lateral raises to protect against injuries. They also do squats, lunges, and calf raises for better landing and stability and deadlifts and hyperextensions to support the lumbar spine.
Batsmen need strong wrists, fast reactions, and a firm base. Their training regime involves reflex training through the utilization of reaction balls and vision training exercises to increase hand-eye coordination. They also perform exercises such as cable wood chops, medicine ball throws, and torso twists for strong shots. Balance drills such as single-leg exercises and BOSU ball drills are useful for stability while playing shots.
Recovery plays a crucial role
No training plan is complete without diet and recovery. Cricketers make sure to recover well using ice Baths & Cryotherapy to minimize muscle soreness after rigorous training. They also make sure to hydrate properly. They also keep a check on protein and carb consumption lean meats, eggs, lentils, quinoa, and brown rice for muscle recovery and energy. Sufficient sleep, meditation, and breathing exercises are maintained for mental acuteness.
Cricket in 2025 is more physically demanding than ever, and IPL players are training harder to keep up with the game’s intensity. Whether it’s hitting the gym, sprinting on the field, or ensuring proper recovery, their fitness routine plays a crucial role in their performance.