A Lot Of Legendary Players Would Have Failed Yo-Yo Test: Virender Sehwag

Those were days when the BCCI hardly cared about players’ fitness. The Indian team management used to select the players on the basis of talent. Even the players who sported healthy waistlines represented the Indian team because they were good at batting or bowling or both.

But as far as today’s game is concerned, everything has changed. Indian cricket is not the same as before. In fact, it has evolved to a whole new level. It is not that easy to represent the Indian cricket team even if you are a player of the highest quality.

In fact, fitness tests have become mandatory in Indian cricket nowadays. A player needs to crack the test with a decent score in order to represent the Indian cricket team.

The introduction of the fitness test has worked wonders in Indian cricket. The players were able to get the best out of themselves. When the players clear the fitness test, they don’t usually experience fatigue issues.

This is good for the players and for the team in the long run as they get rid of unnecessary injuries. So, the players will have to be at the NCA and take part in various fitness tests and clear it before they get a green light to take part in further events.

It is also worth noting that when a player is fit, then he can perform well in all aspects of the game. The fielding standards of the Indian team have improved over the years, thanks to the fitness tests.

Virender Sehwag feels a lot of legendary players would’ve failed the fitness tests

Recently, the BCCI reintroduced the Yo-Yo test and Dexa (bone scan test) as part of the selection process. Sehwag took a swipe at the management and stated that if the Yo-Yo test would have been compulsory during his time, then several legendary players wouldn’t have been a part of the Indian cricket team.

“There was a trend in the Indian team that if you fail Yo-Yo test, you won’t get a chance. If this was the case during our time, then a lot of legendary players wouldn’t have been part of the team because they would have failed the Yo-Yo test. During that time, the focus was on skills. Who will win you matches: One who performs well or the one who runs better?,” Sehwag told News18.

Earlier, the Board of Control for Cricket in India made Yo-Yo fitness test compulsory for players’ selection in the Indian national cricket team.

But now the team management took a step ahead and introduced a new fitness test for players eyeing a place in the team.

BCCI introduced a new mandatory test that needs to be cleared alongside the Yo-Yo fitness test. The players need to clear two Tests in order to make it to the Indian national cricket team. So, both the Yo-Yo test and endurance tests are compulsory.

The new fitness test was introduced for the sole purpose of testing the players’ endurance. This test will determine which players need to work extremely hard on their fitness.