A study of anthropometric profile of Indian inter-university male cricketers

Abstract

The purpose of this study was of two-fold, firstly, to evaluate the anthropometric profile of Indian inter-university cricketers and, secondly, to search the correlations among the anthropometric characteristics studied (if any). To serve this purpose, twelve anthropometric characteristics were taken on purposively selected 98 Indian inter-university (nine Indian universities) male cricketers aged 16-25 years (mean 21.03 years, ± 1.72) participated in the competitions organized in Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, India. An adequate number of controls (n = 99, mean age 21.50 years, ± 1.13) were also collected from the same place for comparisons. The findings of the present study indicated statistically significant differences (p≤ 0.05 - 0.000) in weight, BMI, thigh length, total leg length, calf and hip circumferences, percent body fat and back strength between cricketers and controls. Also, significantly positive correlations (p≤ 0.05 - 0.01) were noted among the linear measurements, viz. height, thigh length, lower leg length; and the circumferential measurements, viz. mid thigh circumference, hip circumference and calf circumference in Indian inter-university male cricketers.