5 Amazing Health Benefits of Playing Cricket you Weren't Aware Of!

Cricket is undoubtedly one of the most popular sports in the world with a global following of more than 2.5 billion fans [1]. While watching cricket can be quite exciting, playing cricket is an altogether different experience. This game is definitely loved across India, be it by kids, teens, millennials, or seniors. Cricket is played by both men and women, and all you need to play it are a bat, ball, and a couple of friends. You don’t really need a field to play this game. Instead, your backyard, street or a park can serve the purpose! It is also interesting to note that there are many health benefits of playing cricket. Not only does it help you burn calories and strengthen muscles, but it also improves your hand-eye coordination considerably. Cricket improves focus and attention span too, making it a great way to stay mentally agile. Read on to understand these different health benefits of playing cricket.

What are the benefits of playing cricket?

Increases Confidence

There are instances of individual brilliance in a team sport like cricket. A good performance, even in a small league game, will put you in a confident and positive mindset that day. Poor performance can make you doubt yourself, but having your teammates' support gives you courage. Regardless of your position on the squad, the game forces you to make split-second decisions. These choices improve you as a player and a person over time by giving you more self-assurance in both the game and real life.

Strengthens Social Skills

Cricket is a team sport, even though there are individual moments of brilliance. Whether you're playing Gully cricket with your friends or competing in a rigorous game for your country, the success of your team depends on factors other than talent level, too, such as the camaraderie and understanding between the team. 

Your skill set will be very important, but the conversation in the locker room, training, and travels with your teammates define a solid squad. Even if cricket isn't your career, you may use these social skills daily. You become more adept at making friends and forging stronger connections in life.

Physical fitness and flexibility

A person's mobility and physical fitness improve when they exercise consistently for long periods. Fielders must cover positions and respond in milliseconds while in situations like short legs and slips, which require a high degree of flexibility. When competing against one another, a bowler and a batter must be at a good fitness level. Cricket enhances a person's overall fitness level. Therefore, the flexibility and fitness exercises of a cricketer must be made specifically for cricket. It would aid in developing sport-specific fitness.

Endurance

People frequently mix up stamina and endurance. Stamina is the capacity for physical activity, while endurance is the body's capacity for persistent exercise over an extended period. A 10-over match in cricket can run for up to two hours. Every player on the field is engaged in play, with fielders requiring continual movement and the batsman and bowler making an obvious effort. The best strategies to develop endurance are through endurance training and participation in the actual game.

Toning muscles

Cricket aids in muscular growth and toning, much like any other sport. This is attributed to the running and all the exercises players must take. 

Burns calories and keeps you fit 

This is one of the best games to help you manage weight. While playing cricket is exciting, playing it regularly can help shed extra pounds. Play cricket for 1 hour and you lose around 350 calories. This is definitely more than the calories burnt in walking on a treadmill for an hour. If you play cricket every day, your body may require increased amounts of protein. The protein intake builds your muscles and improves your strength. Eating foods rich in proteins curbs hunger too, and keeps you full for a long time.

Increases your concentration and agility 

Among various advantages of playing cricket, enhanced concentration is an important one. You have to make quick decisions while playing cricket. You may need to work under pressure as well. All these factors increase your focus and concentration. As soon as the bowler throws a ball, the batter needs to be proactive and think sharply before hitting shots. If you are a bowler, you need to assess how the batsman is going to play the shot. All these decisions improve your analytical abilities and agility. What’s more, you need to be impulsive to take those quick runs. Even while fielding, you have to be on your toes and stop the batsman from taking runs or hitting boundaries. All these factors improve your balance and ability to run faster for longer.

Promotes better heart health 

One of the most important benefits of playing cricket is the improvement in your cardiovascular health. This game involves a lot of running that can boost your heart functions [2]. When you take those quick runs between the wickets, your heart rate spikes. This is a good exercise for your heart as it prevents blocked blood vessels. Intense physical activity also causes the heart to pump more blood. This way your lungs absorb more oxygen and supply it to different organs including the brain. When your brain gets more oxygen, conditions like a stroke can be prevented.

Improves your hand-eye coordination 

Apart from muscular strength, exercises and sports like cricket also increase your hand-eye coordination. Playing cricket works on your hand-eye coordination as you may need to: 

• Judge the trajectory of a fast-moving ball 
• Throw a ball over a long range accurately to stop a runner 
• Bowl accurately and try to get the batter out

Enhances your motor skills 

By playing cricket, your motor skills also improve. Several actions like catching a ball, bowling, and batting improve your motor skills. Cricket works on other body parts like the chest, quadriceps, and hamstrings too. That’s not all, it improves your metabolic rate as well and helps tone the body’s muscle mass.

As you watch IPL this season, remember that cricket also helps in improving your social skills as you are part of a team. There is no doubt that the amount of physical activity required to play this game can keep you fit! However, in case of injuries, consult with top specialists on Bajaj Finserv Health. Book an appointment with a specialist close to you within minutes and seek medical advice without any delay. Get treatment quickly to ensure a speedy recovery and continue to stay active for a healthy life ahead.