McGrath’s former trainer Chevell to work at MRF Pace Foundation

Chevell  was instrumental in keeping McGrath fit in his long career.
| Photo Credit: R. RAGU

The MRF Pace Foundation, headed by its Director of Coaching Glenn McGrath, has brought in Australian trainer Kevin Chevell to work with its trainees this year.

Chevell, a former left-arm pacer who played for Western Australia, worked with McGrath and was instrumental in keeping the Aussie pacer fit in his long career.

“I give Kev a lot of credit for my success,” says McGrath, who started working with Chevell in 1995 after suffering a side-strain injury.

“Strength training is as much about the mental side of preparing yourself as the physical side. You train hard and play easy, not the other way around. And that’s what I’m trying to get over to the young guys here.”

“If you put the work in, that makes a massive difference out in the middle. It had a big impact on me. I went from being injured to playing 53 Tests in a row,” the Aussie legend explained.

M. Senthilnathan, chief coach, added, “Kevin’s got a different kind of workout, and the work he did for Glenn is proof of his impact. That’s why the management felt like this is the next step we need to get into.”

Speaking about his work, Chevell felt that being a cricketer helped him have an understanding of what a player’s body goes through.

“The human body works as a whole, integrated system. I put a lot of pressure on them and put them in a spot where they’re up to a big challenge. Once they’ve achieved it, they have grown a little, and they are mentally stronger and tougher. The formula that I am using is repeatable and workable for all cricketers,” says Chevell, who has also worked with Mark Taylor in the past and is currently training the likes of Sam Billings and Zak Crawley.