Fitness has become one of the biggest pillars of modern cricket, with every major cricket board placing greater emphasis on athleticism, endurance and fielding standards than ever before. From strength assessments to endurance drills, players today must meet multiple fitness benchmarks to earn or retain their place on the national team. Few cricketers have influenced this transformation as much as Virat Kohli, whose commitment to fitness has redefined the standards expected from Indian cricketers over the past decade.

Even at 37, Kohli continues to be regarded as one of the fittest players in world cricket. His lightning-quick reflexes in the field, remarkable running between the wickets and ability to maintain intensity across formats have made him the benchmark for aspiring cricketers.

While the modern game continues to produce fearless T20 batters, Kohli has proved that longevity is built on discipline, preparation and adaptability. His success has inspired countless athletes, both within cricket and beyond, to take fitness more seriously. However, sports entrepreneur and Minerva Academy Football & Cricket Club founder Ranjit Bajaj has now made a bold claim involving the former India captain.

ALSO READ: Amol Muzumdar Breaks Silence, Backs Harmanpreet Kaur to Continue as India Captain

According to Bajaj, several youngsters training at his academy have already surpassed Kohli’s Yo-Yo Test scores.“My under-13s all have a higher Yo-Yo score than Kohli. My 13-year-olds and my 12-year-olds have a higher score than Virat Kohli. And I’m saying it openly for an open challenge. My under-15s are crossing him by far. By far. They will outrun Virat Kohli or the fittest cricketer in India by far.”

“My all U13 have higher Yo-Yo score than Virat Kohli, I’m openly challenging it
my U15 will outrun Virat Kohli by far”

— Ranjit Bajaj#Indianfootball #AIFF pic.twitter.com/JaODMroOeN

— RAJ (@Rajdeep48_IND) June 28, 2026

The Yo-Yo Test is widely used to measure an athlete’s aerobic endurance and ability to recover during repeated high-intensity efforts. Participants run between two markers placed 20 metres apart while following timed audio beeps, with short recovery intervals between each shuttle. The test was introduced into Indian cricket in 2017 by strength and conditioning coach Shankar Basu during Virat Kohli’s captaincy.

Then-head coach Anil Kumble made it a mandatory selection criterion, a move that significantly improved India’s fielding standards and overall fitness culture. Virat Kohli has recently been recovering from a hamstring injury suffered during the IPL 2026 final against Gujarat Titans, which ruled him out of India’s series against Afghanistan.

ALSO READ: Riteish Deshmukh Says ‘Play Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’ After India’s Shock Ireland Loss

However, the batting great has since cleared his fitness assessment at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru and has been included in India’s ODI squad for the upcoming England series, subject to match fitness.The former India captain was also spotted at Lord’s recently alongside his wife Anushka Sharma, former head coach Ravi Shastri and ex-opener Shikhar Dhawan while watching India’s Women’s T20 World Cup clash against Australia.