Resting players - does it work?

[thewrongun]

Just found out from this ashes cricket odds blog that the Aussie are resting three key players from the ODIs against India. As it points out, they're ducking three days' work in a period of just over a week, so does it make much difference? I note when England players were left out over the summer, it was for "strengthening and conditioning work", does that matter?

 

[Boris]

I think it is a good thing, especially if the players are looking like they are a bit under the weather. Cricketers play a hell of a lot of games, more than any other sport I can think of (besides American sports, but they have massive rotating rosters anyway). Cricket is also a very draining sport, even a T20 can take a lot out of you and goes against what you could call 'good' for your body. In what way is the bowling action a 'natural' action... it's not exactly a good thing to put your body through.

With the amount of cricket being played as well, sooner rather than later more players are going to have to specialise in the different formats. Otherwise this rotation/resting system is going to have to become more and more frequent to get guys through games comfortably and not on the ragged edge, meaning better performances.