Cricket Yoga: What Watson, Tendulkar, Bhatia And Langer Got From It, And How Much They Did
What do Shane Watson, Sachin Tendulkar and India’s wicketkeeper Taniya Bhatia have in common? All three made yoga a regular part of their cricket. And they did plenty of it.
New to Iyengar yoga? Start with Why Yoga Works For Sport: Mr BKS Iyengar, His Book And His Props.
Cricket yoga: the short answer
Cricket yoga is used by batters, bowlers and keepers to free up the hips, hamstrings, back and shoulders that cricket loads on one side, and to stay calm through long days. Shane Watson, Sachin Tendulkar and Taniya Bhatia all credit it, and India’s 2004 squad did an hour a day at camp.
In short:
- Top cricketers credit it: Watson, Tendulkar, Bhatia and Lewis Hatchett.
- Whole teams used it: India and Australia both, in 2004.
- Mr Iyengar worked with cricketers: his sport book was made at the National Cricket Academy.
- They practised a lot: half an hour to an hour a day.
- Trials back it: 82 first-class cricketers gained flexibility and balance.
- Try it free: 2 free classes in Darwin or online.
Who was Mr BKS Iyengar? Iyengar yoga is the style developed by Mr BKS Iyengar. In the 20th century he did more than anyone to set down traditional Indian yoga, through his books and his teaching, and he pioneered the use of props. His style is sometimes called modern classical yoga. It’s the style we teach at Flametree.
Athletes who credit yoga
Each entry is a short summary in our words, with a link to the original. They are reported at the time and are not endorsements of Flametree.
Australian cricketers
- Shane Watson, former Australian all-rounder. Said yoga made a big difference late in his career, that he would have got a different result if he had done it throughout, and that half an hour before training or play was enough. “But the most important thing is yoga.” CricTracker, 9 May 2016
- Justin Langer, former Australian opener. In 2004, in a two-day break after the Mumbai Test, he visited Mr Iyengar’s institute in Pune with the team’s yoga teacher, Kate Turner, and the conditioning coach. Mr Iyengar looked at how he sat, said he could tell he had trouble with his lower back and shoulder, and linked the tightness to long hours batting left-handed. He then gave a three-hour demonstration with Langer as the model, using props and fine adjustments. Langer said afterwards: “At the end of it I felt like a 21-year-old again.” Australian Yoga Life, issue 11, 2005, “Aussies Go To Bat For Yoga”, Greg Wythes, p. 4 (print article, no web link).
- The Australian Test team, India tour, 2004. Kate Turner travelled with the team for the seven-week tour, the first time Australia took a yoga teacher on tour. The first class was compulsory, then optional. Langer, Matthew Hayden, Michael Kasprowicz and Glenn McGrath came most regularly, with Shane Warne in and out. Langer said seven weeks of daily yoga changed his view, and that it was the first training he looked forward to. Same article. The team’s classes mixed several styles, so we call them simply yoga.
Indian cricketers
- Sachin Tendulkar, former India batter. First came to Mr Iyengar in 1999, introduced by Kiran More, for a backache that was giving him a lot of trouble, and spent a week under his care. After Mr Iyengar’s death he said: “I will always be thankful for the wonderful asanas he taught me.” Cricket Country, 20 June 2015. The 1999 date and the week of care are from his own account in DNA, 21 August 2014, as printed in Yoga For Sports (Kindle loc 4423).
- Zaheer Khan, former India fast bowler. On Mr Iyengar’s own account, a few specific poses loosened a knot in Zaheer’s ankle after surgery so he could bowl more easily. These are Mr Iyengar’s words, not Zaheer’s. Cricket Country, 20 June 2015
- India’s squad, 2004. Reported to have done an hour-long yoga session daily at the Bangalore conditioning camp, an idea of coach John Wright (PTI, 19 August 2004, as printed in Yoga For Sports).
Women’s cricket
- Taniya Bhatia, India wicketkeeper. Took up yoga in lockdown and now gives it 45 minutes every day. She says it keeps her calm, and that as a keeper she always wanted more flexibility and got better with each passing day. “It is a really good stress buster.” The Week, 2 July 2023
County cricket
- Lewis Hatchett, former Sussex left-arm bowler. Says he was doing yoga, mindfulness and meditation while still playing, and felt better for committing to it every day. He now runs a yoga and mindfulness app, so he has a commercial interest. The Cricketer, undated
How Much Did They Actually Do?
The cricketers with the strongest stories practised regularly, and often daily. In our experience as teachers, people who find yoga only loosens them a little have usually done too little of it.
| Who | How much | Source |
|---|---|---|
| India squad, 2004 | An hour-long session daily at the Bangalore camp | PTI, 19 August 2004, as printed in Yoga For Sports |
| Ashish Nehra, India fast bowler, 2004 | Said the team did yoga at least an hour a day in Bangalore | Mid Day, 11 June 2004, as printed in the book |
| Sachin Tendulkar, 2004 | An extra half hour on top | PTI, 19 August 2004, as printed in the book |
| Australian team, 2004 | Daily over a seven-week tour | Australian Yoga Life, 2005 |
| Justin Langer, 2004 | A three-hour session with Mr Iyengar, then the daily team classes | Same |
| Shane Watson | About half an hour a day, before training or playing | CricTracker, 2016 |
| Taniya Bhatia | 45 minutes every day | The Week, 2023 |
| Lewis Hatchett | Every day | The Cricketer, undated |
| Zaheer Khan | Not stated | Cricket Country, 2015 |
Australia won the 2004 series, its first Test series win in India in more than 30 years. We make no claim about what caused it. The point here is simply how much the players did.
The trial below ran yoga five days a week for six weeks. So the thing to try is regular practice: two or three classes a week, for at least a couple of months.
Common strains in cricket, and what helps
Cricket asks the body to do the same thing on one side, over and over. These are commonly reported, in general terms. This is not medical advice.
- Fast bowlers’ lower backs. Stress injuries in the lower spine are commonly reported in young fast bowlers. A 2025 review of adolescent athletes found the highest rates in cricket fast bowlers (Weber and colleagues, 2025). What helps: in a trial of 82 first-class cricketers, six weeks of yoga improved core stability, flexibility and balance (Rao and colleagues, 2021).
- Hips and buttocks. Mr Iyengar’s book points to the jar of the front foot landing before the ball is released. What helps: in his teaching, Half Moon Pose (Ardha Chandrasana) and Revolved Triangle Pose (Parivrtta Trikonasana), with props, ease that strain.
- Hamstrings and groins. Long hours bent over in the field, sudden sprints between wickets. What helps: one-leg hamstring poses with a belt build length evenly, and the trials above found flexibility gains.
- Neck and upper back after long innings. The book calls neck pain a common complaint of batters. What helps: twists on a chair even out a batter who always turns one way.
- Shoulders in bowlers and throwers. What helps: Downward Facing Dog and arms-overhead work keep the shoulder blades moving freely.
More on backs and shoulders, and our earlier post, Yoga For Cricketers, with six cricket stretches.
A suitable Iyengar approach for cricketers
Even out the body, legs first, with props so stiff players can get the shape right. This is how we would start a cricketer in class. The detail is taught in class, adjusted to the player.
- Standing poses for strong legs and a steady base. Mountain Pose (Tadasana), Extended Triangle Pose (Utthita Trikonasana), Warrior II Pose (Virabhadrasana II) and Half Moon Pose (Ardha Chandrasana), a brick under the hand if needed. Geeta Iyengar’s first rule: legs first.
- Hamstrings, one leg at a time. Reclined Big Toe Pose (Supta Padangusthasana) with a belt, and Standing Hand to Big Toe Pose (Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana) at a chair.
- Twists for a one-sided game. Bharadvaja’s Pose (Bharadvajasana) on a chair and Marichi’s Pose (Marichyasana I). Mr Iyengar’s book suggests turning more often towards the side a batter rarely turns to.
- Shoulders. Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) and Cow Face Pose (Gomukhasana) arms.
- Recovery after a long day. Hero Pose (Virasana), Legs Up The Wall (Viparita Karani) and Reclining Bound Angle Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana) over a bolster.
- Breath. Ocean Breath (Ujjayi) lying down. Mr Iyengar’s book suggests about 15 minutes of pranayama on the morning of a match.
Looking for mindfulness? Yoga and yogic breathing create it. Holding a pose and following the breath is the same steady attention a batter needs at the crease. Read Yoga And Mindfulness.
What Athletes And Researchers Have Found
- First-class cricketers gained flexibility, balance and core stability. In a trial of 82 first-class male cricketers in India, yoga five days a week for six weeks improved core stability, flexibility, range of motion, balance and ankle control, and the gains were still there at six months. Rao and colleagues, Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, 2021. DOI
- Volleyball players gained flexibility and balance. In a trial of 26 players, adding yoga twice a week gave greater gains in flexibility, balance, endurance and serving accuracy than the comparison group. Erkan Özalp and colleagues, 2025. DOI
- Mindfulness training lowered anxiety in athletes. An analysis of 11 studies of 582 athletes. Si and colleagues, Frontiers in Psychology, 2024. DOI This tested mindfulness, not yoga; it still counts for our classes.
- Players say why. Watson, Tendulkar and Bhatia all describe yoga as part of how they kept playing. Teams included it because their players found it helpful.
The cricket trial tested yoga in general, not Iyengar yoga. Researchers say longer trials are still needed.
Ready to give it a try?
- 2 free classes, plus 2 free ebooks. New to Flametree, or back after 3 months or more? Choose 2 free ebooks (the sport and men’s book is Stay In The Game) and get 2 free classes, LIVE online or in our Darwin studios. Claim them here
- Half price 10 class passes. New to yoga: 10 half price classes plus 2 free, $59.50. Done yoga before: 2 free plus 10 at half price, $104.50. Tight hips and hamstrings: Too Stiff For Yoga? 10 classes for $59.50.
- A private lesson for batters or bowlers: private class pass, $109. Talk to us first to set a time.
- For cricket clubs and squads: group class, $149 per session, at your club, at our Woolner studio or online. Ask us about a five-lesson or ten-session club package: contact us.
Frequently asked questions
Is yoga good for cricketers?
Yes. Shane Watson, Sachin Tendulkar and Taniya Bhatia all credit it, and in a trial of 82 first-class cricketers, six weeks of yoga improved flexibility, balance and core stability.
How much yoga did top cricketers do?
A lot. India’s 2004 squad did an hour a day at camp, Watson did about half an hour a day, Bhatia does 45 minutes every day, and the Australian team did daily yoga across a seven-week tour of India.
Is yoga good for fast bowlers?
It works the hips, hamstrings, back and shoulders that bowling loads on one side, and the cricket trial found better core stability and balance. Mr Iyengar’s book gives poses for the jar of the front foot landing.
Did Mr Iyengar teach cricketers?
Yes. Sachin Tendulkar came to him in 1999, Justin Langer visited him in Pune in 2004, and his book Yoga For Sports was photographed at India’s National Cricket Academy.
Can our cricket club do yoga with Flametree in Darwin?
Yes. We run group sessions at your club, at our Woolner studio or online, at $149 a session. Ask us about a five-lesson or ten-session club package.
Sources and dates: CricTracker (Nikhil Anand), 9 May 2016; Cricket Country (Sudatta Mukherjee), 20 June 2015; The Week, 2 July 2023; The Cricketer (Nick Friend), undated; Australian Yoga Life, issue 11, 2005, “Aussies Go To Bat For Yoga”, Greg Wythes (print article, no web link); B.K.S. Iyengar, Yoga For Sports (2015), Kindle edition, Part IV press reports as printed. Research via PubMed, with DOIs above. Athlete statements are their own experience, reported at the time; none endorses Flametree. This page is general information.