BBC SPORT | Cricket | Air today, gone tomorrow



By Scott Heinrich For BBC Sport Online in Cardiff

Javagal Srinath
Srinath looked jaded in Colombo
The life of a professional sportsman was never supposed to be relaxed.

Their days, weeks and sometimes years are mapped out for them to the greatest detail, and playing the game is just a part of it.

But even by the frenetic demands of sport at the highest level, Javagal Srinath has had a week that would make anyone reach for the snooze button.

And by the time he arrives home for the Test series against West Indies, the Indian pace bowler will have travelled a grand total of 16150 miles.

Srinath was in Leicester, where he had just completed a six-week spell in county cricket, when India skipper Sourav Ganguly phoned from Sri Lanka.

I didn't play well but I did what I could do under the circumstances

Javagal Srinath

With left-arm paceman Ashish Nehra injured, the side needed a replacement for Sunday's ICC Champions Trophy final.

"He told me that I was required to play in the final in Colombo the next day and that I had to get down to Heathrow to get on a flight straight away," Srinath says.

"I packed my bags and left straight away but when I got to the airport I discovered that my flight had been cancelled."

In the end, the veteran pace bowler did not arrive in the Sri Lankan capital until 5.30am on the day of the match, and managed just two hours sleep.

Report: Sunday final washed out

Unsurprisingly, Srinath's first eight overs cost 55 runs, and he was not included in the team when the rained-off match was replayed the following day.

"I couldn't really get focused for the match and switch on," he admits.

Srinath's mileage

Saturday:
Leicester to London (110 miles)

Saturday / Sunday:
London to Colombo (5415 miles)

Monday:
Colombo to London (5415 miles)

Tuesday:
London to Cardiff (135 miles)

Sunday:
Cardiff to London (135 miles) London to Bangalore (4940 miles)

Total miles: 16150

"It was basically the heat that sapped me but that's no excuse when you're playing international cricket.

"I didn't play well but I gave it my best shot and did what I could do under the circumstances."

Having been passed over by selectors for the one-day side since June, Srinath had not planned for the late call-up.

And as he had already agreed to play for the Rest of the World XI, indoors at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium, there was another early morning flight back to London to be grabbed.

"I travelled to Cardiff the day after getting back to London to play on Friday and Saturday," he says.

"It's nice in Cardiff, but I will be getting on the plane again home to India after the cricket is over."


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