Many corporate cricketers spend the week at a desk and then play a T20 match at the weekend. Going straight from long hours of sitting to sprinting, diving and bowling can be a shock to the system. These habits are small enough to fit around a working week and can make match days feel easier.

Please note: this is general fitness information, not medical advice. If you have an injury or a health condition, or have not exercised for a while, check with a doctor or physiotherapist before you start a new routine.

1. Mobility

Long hours in a chair can leave your hips and upper back stiff. That is a poor starting point for a fast bowling spell, an explosive shot or a dive in the field.

You do not need an hour of yoga. On workdays, take five minutes for dynamic stretching: leg swings, cat-cow stretches and thoracic rotations. They are a gentle way to get moving after sitting, before the quick, sideways movements cricket asks for.

2. Core stability for batting and bowling

Batting and bowling are whole-body movements that use your trunk as well as your arms, so core exercises are a sensible part of a cricketer's routine.

Planks, Russian twists and dead bugs, for about ten minutes three times a week, are an easy place to start.

3. Start hydrating before match day

Air-conditioned offices make it easy to miss how little you drink. Rather than drinking a lot ten minutes before the toss, drink regularly in the days leading up to a match.

In hot weather you lose salts as well as water when you sweat, and some players take a sports drink with electrolytes during long matches.

4. Interval training for stamina

Cricket is played in short bursts: a quick single, a chase to the boundary, a spell of bowling. Interval training, with short efforts and rests in between, is closer to that rhythm than a long, steady run.

Try sprinting for 30 seconds and walking for 60 seconds, repeated for 15 to 20 minutes, once or twice a week. If you are new to it, start with fewer rounds and build up gradually.

5. Warm up before every match

Try not to walk straight out to bat or bowl as soon as you arrive. Get to the ground 15 to 20 minutes early, start with a light jog to raise your body temperature, then move on to arm circles, lunges and high knees. A short routine like this helps your body switch from office mode to match mode.

Common questions

How can I avoid cramp during long matches?

There is no single fix. Drinking regularly in the days before a match, and during play in hot weather, is a sensible start. If cramp keeps coming back, speak to a doctor.

I have a desk job. How can I look after my lower back?

Gentle strengthening exercises such as bird-dogs and glute bridges are popular with people who sit a lot. Back pain has many causes, so if it lasts, see a doctor or physiotherapist.

Should I stretch before or after a match?

Many players use moving (dynamic) stretches as part of their warm-up and save held (static) stretches for after the match.

How much time do I need?

Consistency matters more than intensity. Short sessions you can keep up, such as ten minutes of mobility on workdays and one or two interval sessions a week, are a reasonable start.

What helps recovery after a match?

A proper meal, a good night's sleep and an easy walk the next day are simple ways to recover.