Effects of Unilateral and Bilateral Plyometric Training Integrated with Linear Sprinting on Physical Performance in Youth Male Cricketers

Cricket performance requires sprinting ability, explosive lower-limb power, change-of-direction speed, and unilateral force production. However, the comparative effects of unilateral, bilateral, and combined plyometric training integrated with sprinting remain unclear in youth cricketers. This randomized controlled trial compared unilateral plyometric training integrated with linear sprinting (UPS), bilateral plyometric training integrated with linear sprinting (BPS), combined unilat- eral and bilateral plyometric training integrated with linear sprinting (CBS), and regular cricket training alone as an active control condition (ACG). Forty-four male cricket players aged 14–18 years were randomly allocated to four groups of 11 participants. The intervention groups completed three supervised training sessions per week for six weeks, whereas the ACG continued its regular cricket training. The assessed outcomes were 10-m sprint time, 30-m sprint time, bilateral vertical-jump height, Illinois change-of-direction test time, and right- and left-leg vertical-jump height. Outcomes were measured before and after the intervention and analysed using a 4×2 mixed-

Design: analysis of variance. Significant group × time interactions were observed for all outcomes. The CBS group demonstrated the greatest numerical improvements in 10-m sprint (−2.52%), 30-m sprint (−2.92%), bilateral vertical jump (13.35%), Illinois change-of-direction performance (−6.89%), right-leg vertical jump (12.35%), and left-leg vertical jump (14.34%). However, the available post hoc compar- isons did not establish significant between-group differences for the sprint or change-of-direction outcomes. The find- ings suggest that combined unilateral and bilateral plyometric training integrated with sprinting may improve multiple lower-limb performance qualities in youth male cricketers. Nevertheless, because the CBS group completed a greater plyometric training volume, the effects of exercise combination cannot be distinguished from those of training dose.