Since the departure of Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri from Indian cricket’s leadership, fitness tests have reportedly become little more than a formality. A recent report suggests that fitness assessments, once a crucial part of player selection, are now just for show—raising concerns about the true importance of these tests in the current Indian cricket setup.
Fitness Tests Now Just ‘Optics’?
The Times of India reports that influential players, including some of the team’s biggest stars, have started to oppose the Yo-Yo and Bronco fitness tests. They argue that the focus should shift from these tests to managing body injuries and overall fitness in a more personalized manner. Recently, players like Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Jasprit Bumrah underwent fitness tests at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, while Virat Kohli reportedly did his in London. While all players reportedly passed, the report claims these tests are now just for optics, with no significant impact on selection as results were never disclosed and the media was excluded.
The Shift from Kohli-Shastri’s Fitness Regime
During Kohli and Shastri’s tenure, fitness tests like the Yo-Yo test were a strict selection criterion, with players failing them often being left out of the squad. However, since their departure, the significance of these tests seems to have waned. According to the report, players who fail the tests now often justify it with injury concerns and still make it to the squad. The source quoted in the report highlighted that, without any real consequences, players are able to bypass the rigorous standards that once defined Indian cricket.
Fitness Tests: A Mere Number Game?
Soham Desai, former Strength & Conditioning coach for India, added that since the 2019 World Cup, fitness tests have become a numbers game—used more as a tool for coaches to gauge players’ current fitness levels rather than a decisive factor for selection.
As the importance of these fitness tests diminishes, the question arises—are Indian cricketers truly focusing on their fitness, or have these tests simply become a ritual with no real impact?
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