New Delhi: Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has welcomed the International Cricket Council's newly launched post-pregnancy return-to-play guidelines, describing the initiative as a major step forward for women's cricket and athlete welfare.
Reacting to the ICC's announcement on social media, Tendulkar praised the governing body's efforts to create a more supportive environment for female cricketers balancing motherhood and professional sport.
"Exceptional batting by the ICC. Empowerment in sport is about ensuring that a player's journey, in all phases, is supported with the right framework.
"Seeing the transition from 'choosing between' to 'doing both' is proof that we are playing the game the right way. A massive boost for the future of women cricketers worldwide," Tendulkar posted on X.
The ICC on Monday unveiled its Return to Play Post-Pregnancy Guidelines, a comprehensive framework aimed at helping female cricketers safely and confidently resume competitive cricket after childbirth. The initiative forms part of the ICC's broader 100% Cricket programme, which seeks to accelerate the growth of the women's game and improve support systems for players.
Central to the framework is a six-step pathway, Ready, Review, Restore, Recondition, Return and Refine, designed to guide athletes through recovery, medical assessments, progressive training, cricket-specific conditioning and their eventual return to competition.
The guidelines also recommend that every player be assigned a dedicated case manager, usually a doctor or physiotherapist, to coordinate medical care and support throughout pregnancy and the return-to-play process. Regular review meetings at key stages, including pregnancy, post-childbirth recovery and reintegration into cricket, have also been proposed. IANS
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