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@article{208133,
        author = {Bhoomika Singh and Dr. Megha Bhardwaj  PT and Dr. Shubham Jha  PT},
        title = {Muscle Strength, Power and Functional Agility in Young Versus Mature Competitive Cricket Fast Bowlers: A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2026},
        volume = {13},
        number = {4},
        pages = {482-489},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=208133},
        abstract = {Background: Fast bowling is the most physically demanding role in cricket and depends on the coordinated contribution of lower limb power, trunk stability, upper limb strength and rapid multidirectional movement. Competitive fast bowlers continue to play well beyond the age at which peak neuromuscular capacity is usually reached, yet few studies have compared several physical performance domains simultaneously across age groups within this population.
Objective: To compare lower body power and strength, upper body strength, shoulder, wrist and finger strength and power, core muscle strength and endurance, and functional agility between young and mature competitive cricket fast bowlers.
Methods: Thirty male competitive fast bowlers were recruited by purposive sampling from cricket academies, sports training centres, and university, district and state level teams. Participants were allocated by chronological age into a young group (20 to 30 years, n = 15) and a mature group (30 to 40 years, n = 15). After a standardised warm-up, all participants completed the Vertical Jump Test, Hex-Bar Deadlift, Bench Press, Bent-Over Row, Rotational Medicine Ball Throw, Hand Grip Strength Test, Bourbon Trunk Muscle Strength Test, Resistance Crunch Test and Illinois Agility Test in a fixed order with standardised rest intervals. Groups were compared using the independent samples t-test with significance set at p < 0.05.
Results: The two groups were comparable in height, body weight and body mass index. The young group performed better in vertical jump (48.6 ± 4.2 vs 42.1 ± 4.8 cm; p = 0.001), rotational medicine ball throw (12.4 ± 1.2 vs 11.1 ± 1.4 m; p = 0.011), Bourbon trunk test (78.4 ± 8.5 vs 70.2 ± 9.4 s; p = 0.018), resistance crunch (38.5 ± 4.1 vs 34.2 ± 4.8 repetitions; p = 0.013) and Illinois agility test (15.8 ± 0.9 vs 16.9 ± 1.1 s; p = 0.005). No significant between-group difference was found for hex-bar deadlift, bench press, bent-over row or hand grip strength (p > 0.05).
Conclusion: Explosive power, core performance and agility differed between young and mature competitive fast bowlers, whereas maximal strength did not. Physical profiling of fast bowlers should therefore include power, core and agility measures rather than maximal strength testing alone.},
        keywords = {Cricket; fast bowling; muscle strength; muscle power; agility; core endurance; athletic performance; sports physiotherapy},
        month = {September},
        }