After the recent spate of injuries, theBoard of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to make sweeping changes to the fitness test regime. According to TOI, it is learnt that the board is set to come up with certain parameters to gauge the fitness levels of a player.
The newspaper reported that Adrian Le Roux, who had taken over from Soham Desai as the strength and conditioning coach, had added different fitness drills. The new fitness coach decided to adopt the Bronco Test instead of the Yo-Yo Test, which was used before his arrival.
The Bronco Test didn’t have any ‘parameters’ till now, which is about to change. BCCI is set to introduce a time limit for players to clear the drills, and the prescribed time limit is 5.15 to 5.20 minutes. It is learnt that the Centre of Excellence has laid down a minimum 10-minute mark for the players to complete the 2K Test. In this test, the players have to complete a two-kilometre run within the prescribed time.
Indian board concerned about dropping fitness standards
One BCCI source speaking to Times of India said, “Indian cricketers aren’t used to Bronco Tests. Over the past year, different parameters were set by the CoE for the players. It had come to light that certain senior players were given easier targets for them to meet the fitness clearance. CoE staff also cleared players like Harshit Rana and Nitish Reddy to suit the team management’s needs.”
Harshit Rana injured himself ahead of the T20 World Cup and missed the tournament and also the IPL 2026. The 24-year-old made his return during the Ireland tour and also played the first two T20Is against England before suffering another injury. Nitish Kumar Reddy played the series against Afghanistan but missed the Lucknow ODI due to fitness issues.
It has also come to light that Kamlesh Jain, who is the Indian team physio, has been questioned by the board over constant injuries and a drop in fitness levels. The likes of Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah have been laid low by various fitness issues in recent months.
“Kamlesh Jain has been told that he doesn’t have to worry about a player’s stature and is free to flag anything he finds to be unsatisfactory. It is seen that the mobility of a few players on the field is not satisfactory. Senior batters are struggling while running between the wickets if they bat for a longer duration, and the number of slow fielders has also increased,” the source said.