Reports have emerged regarding the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) issuing a verbal warning to Indian cricket players, cautioning them against disclosing their Yo-Yo fitness test scores on public platforms. The board considers this information to be confidential and views public disclosure as a potential breach of contract.
The fitness tests in question were conducted during a preparatory camp held in Alur as part of the team’s preparations for the Asia Cup 2023. The Yo-Yo test is used to assess a player’s aerobic fitness and endurance. Players who do not meet the minimum fitness standard may not be eligible for selection.
Batting legend Sunil Gavaskar weighed in on the matter, arguing that making Yo-Yo scores public is essential for transparency. He believes that if the minimum fitness standard is a prerequisite for selection, the public should be informed to ensure accountability.
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Sunil Gavaskar expressed in his column for the mid-day, “If it is true that unless the minimum standard of the Yo-Yo test is not met, then the player is not eligible for selection then it’s all the more important for this test to be done in the public domain so that the public that follows the game in their millions know that there are no players who have not met the minimum standard in the team.”
Sunil Gavaskar also dismissed the notion that comparing Yo-Yo scores between players, such as Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli, should be seen as a competition. He highlighted the age difference between the two and praised Kohli for maintaining a high level of fitness.
He noted, “Shubman Gill posting an even better Yo-Yo score than Virat was by no means one-upmanship. The age difference between the two mustn’t be forgotten, and the elder has to be admired for his fitness standard.”
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Earlier this year, in January, the BCCI reintroduced the Yo-Yo fitness test as an eligibility criterion for selection to the Indian cricket team. This decision was made following a review meeting, underlining the board’s commitment to ensuring that players maintain a certain level of physical fitness to represent the nation in international cricket.
