Indian Cricket team has been promoting the idea of fitness being the prime criterion for selection and the same has seen the likes of Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina being ruled out from some of the major actions in recent months. However, after BCCI CEO Rahul Johri made YO-YO test an official benchmark for selection.
BCCI has made it mandatory for cricketers to pass the ‘yo-yo’ endurance test in order to find a place in the national side. The rule will apply to all cricketers, including those who play just Test cricket, in order to maintain consistent fitness standards across formats.
BCCI CEO Rahul Johri, while speaking to The Indian Express, conceded that the rules applied on the cricketers will be stringent and ‘non-negotiable’.
“The captain, coach and chief selector, along with the other members of the selection committee in consultation with the support staff, have set the parameters. The fitness parameters set by the team management for athletes to be eligible for selection are non-negotiable,” he was quoted as saying.
The archaic yo-yo tests, used by athletes over the world as a measure of endurance, recently found its way back into cricketing lexicon when Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina, pillars of India’s middle order in the late 2000s, reportedly failed tests conducted at the NCA and were subsequently omitted from the national side.
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Following the Yo-Yo Test debacle, Ravi Shastri and the team’s captain Virat Kohli came out to say that they are looking for the perfect fielding side and for that, fitness has to be a prime parameter.
Johri said that all current players have been informed about the new reforms, and have been asked to adhere to the guidelines set by the team management. He also mentioned that the current level of the test will be a basic one, requiring players to pass a minimum benchmark score of 16.1.
For those who fail to meet the required tests, ample time will be given to get back to peak fitness, and take tests at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru.
Interestingly, Ashish Nehra, who turned 38 this year, passed the gruelling fitness test and found his way back into the national side. Others like Suresh Raina and Yuvraj Singh reportedly flunked the endurance tests, thus missing out on spots for the limited-overs leg of the Australia series.
Everything said and done, after Yo-Yo Test being made a mandatory parameter in all three formats, a debate has started about whether aerobic endurance can be the only criterion for selection as it’s a skill-based sport and mental stamina also play an important role?
Keeping their 2019 World Cup goals in mind, team India is indeed focusing on a well-rounded squad but the Yo-Yo Test, although being one of the most established endurance tests, shouldn’t be the only criterion for selection.
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There need to be other parameters that must be considered, and players should be given an appropriate time frame to get themselves ready for the endurance test. Besides, one also knows how hectic BCCI schedules can be at times.
What do you think of the Yo-Yo test and what are your views on giving the skill set of a player the needed importance? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
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