Gatorade pacers to undergo Sweat Test; join ranks of Bolt, Lee

Sabi Hussain

New Delhi, Jan 30 (PTI) When 19-year-old Barinder Singhfrom Haryana, son of a small-time farmer, defied all odds andchose cricket as his profession, he had never imagined thatone day he will join the likes of star international sprinterUsain Bolt and veteran speedster Brett Lee.

Barinder, whose parents always discouraged him tocontinue his first love - cricket, along with four other youngfast bowlers, will soon become the first sportspersons everfrom India to undergo the world-renowned ''Gatorade Sweat Test''in Dubai, which has benefited the likes of Bolt, Lee, and startennis players Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova to name afew.

Gatorade Pacers, a programme from famous sports drinkGatorade, has selected five young fast bowlers from India --Barinder, Abdul Baseer Mohammed (Andhra Pradesh), GurudasShenoy (Mumbai), Sukhvir Singh and Maninder Singh (Punjab) --who will be travelling to Dubai for a training programme atICC Cricket Academy during which they will undergo the SweatTest.

The tests will be conducted in Dubai by scientists fromGatorade Sports Science Institute, which over the past 40years, has been working closely with sports teams, as well ashundreds of elite professional and amateur athletes from allover the world to help them optimise their health andperformance through research and education in hydration andnutrition science.

These young fast bowlers will spend seven days at theacademy, where resident coaches Mudassar Nazar from Pakistanand New Zealand''s Dayle Hadlee will give them tips to improvetheir bowling skills.

In addition, South Africa fielding great Jonty Rhodeswill work with these bowlers to lift their overall game andgive them a perspective on competing in international levelcricket.

"The Gatorade Sweat Test helps sportsmen and athletesbetter understand their bodies'' hydration and replenishmentrequirements and improve performance, enhance longevity," saidManinder, one of the selected bowlers under the sports drink''spacer programme.

"I am looking forward towards meeting the cricketinggreats like Rhodes and Nazar and hope to improve my fitnesslevel and follow through. This fitness test is also importantas it will help me know where I stand at the internationallevel cricket," said 21-year-old Baseer Mohammed, whosefather, a poultry farmer, always discouraged him from cricketbut he persisted with his passion.

"I always wanted to become a cricketer and Gatoradehelped me realising my dream. My next aim is to play the Ranjitrophy and then vie for a place in the Indian cricket team,"added Baseer. .