Couldn’t run 20-30 metres without my heart rate going up too high: Klaasen on his battle with COVID-19

Lahore [Pakistan], February 9 (ANI): South Africa’s Heinrich Klaasen on Tuesday reflected on his battle with coronavirus, saying that he could not run 20-30 metres, or do anything for two or three minutes without his heart rate going up too high.
Klaasen had tested positive for coronavirus on December 3 during South Africa’s white-ball series against England.
“The first 16 or 17 days I couldn’t really do much. I was very ill. The problem came with the fact that I could not start exercising. Or I could start exercising again, but I could not run 20-30 metres, or do anything for two or three minutes without my heart rate going up too high,” ESPNcricinfo quoted Klaasen as saying.
Klaasen was unable to follow CSA’s return-to-play plan and admitted that it took him a “long time” to just get his heart rate under control.
“There are protocols that one has to follow to be able to rebuild your workload but I could not stick to that programme. It is a very simple programme where you exercise for 10-15 minutes a day and (do exercises) like walking 200 metres. It took me a long time to just get my heart rate under control so that I could exercise at least a little bit without getting past the phase where it is too dangerous,” he said.
The player is now all set to lead South Africa in the upcoming three-match T20I series against Pakistan, slated to begin on Thursday. (ANI)