First introduced under the captaincy of Virat Kohli, the Yo-Yo test has re-entered the selection criteria, with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) making it mandatory for players.
The decision seems to have been taken in the wake of the Indian cricket team’s recent poor performances on the field, as well as the rising number of injury instances. While breaking into the team will understandably be tougher for a lot of players, as attaining the ‘passing score’ in the Yo-Yo test becomes compulsory, there remain a few players who have regularly aced the test in the past.
As per the BCCI’s recent guidelines, a player has to attain a score of 16.5 to pass the Yo-Yo test. In the past, the passing score used to be 16.1, as per PTI.
The Yo-Yo test is a 2-km time circuit trial, which is meant to test the speed and endurance of the players. All the players available for selection will have to go through this mandatory trial from time to time. As things stand, no player will be able to enter the Indian team without passing this test.
It also has to be noted that the fitness test is a little harder on fast bowlers than it is on other players. Because of their role and the demand of the game, fast bowlers have to complete the test in a better time than other players like batters, spinners, and wicket-keepers.
A number of Indian players have managed to perform really well in the Yo-Yo Test. Back in the day, players like Manish Pandey, Karun Nair, and Mayank Dagar went past the 19-point mark in the test, as per PTI. From the current squad, Virat Kohli is someone who has really done well in the Yo-Yo Test. Kohli has also breached the 19-point mark in the past.
Even Hardik Pandya is said to have done really well in the test back in the days when it was mandatory. Considering the fitness standards he has maintained, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Hardik aces the test again.
But, it is also a fact that a number of other players would have to pull up their fitness standards to make it to the Indian team again.