Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has urged the BCCI to tread carefully with the newly introduced Bronco fitness test, cautioning that it should not become a hardline selection criterion for the national team. Gavaskar emphasised that every cricketer’s body type and role are unique, making a uniform benchmark for all players impractical.

The Bronco test, considered more demanding than the widely used YoYo test, is designed to test a player’s endurance levels without recovery breaks between runs. While reports suggest that India’s cricketers underwent the YoYo test ahead of the Asia Cup 2025, the Bronco test is expected to be gradually introduced in future assessments.

In his column for Sportstar, Sunil Gavaskar wrote, “While it is fine to have these tests to get a general idea of where a player needs to strengthen their body, having them decide selection to the national team is a tad too much. Every person’s body is different, so having one standard for everybody in the squad is well-nigh impossible. There has to be consideration given to the player’s speciality and allowances made for that.”

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Gavaskar further explained that each role in cricket demands a different level of fitness. “A wicketkeeper, who is constantly moving throughout the day, requires a different fitness level than others. Fast bowlers will have different needs compared to spinners, who may bowl as many, if not more, overs in a match. Batters too require a distinct fitness approach. A ‘one-size-fits-all’ system simply doesn’t work,” he stated.

The legendary opener stressed that while fitness benchmarks are essential, they should not overshadow a player’s mental strength, commitment, and passion for representing India.

“The most important test for playing at the highest level cannot be measured because it’s between the two ears. And when the heart is opened, it should have only two words: ‘Indian cricket,’ and nothing else,” he concluded.

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With fitness playing an increasingly vital role in modern cricket, Gavaskar’s comments are a reminder that while tests like the Bronco and YoYo are useful tools, they should complement—not dictate—selection decisions.