The new fitness test will be made mandatory for the selection in the national team.
According to a TOI report, Sanju Samson, Nitish Rana, Rahul Tewatia, Siddarth Kaul and Jaydev Unadkat are some of the cricketers who have failed to clear the new ‘2-km run’ fitness test introduced by the BCCI at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bangalore this week.
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“Since this is a new type of a fitness test, they will all get a second chance to clear it at a fresh date, after some gap. However, if they fail to clear it, then it puts their selection for the forthcoming white-ball series comprising five T20Is and three ODIs against England at home in doubt,” TOI quoted a source as saying.
Notably, Yuvraj Singh was left out of the Indian team in 2017 following the West Indies tour because he failed to attain the yo-yo test passing mark, never to play for the country again.
In 2018, Samson, Mohammad Shami and Ambati Rayudu weren’t picked for the limited-overs series in England as they failed to clear the yo-yo test.
Samson featured in the T20I series in Australia two months ago.
“A few fitness tests were conducted for around 20-odd cricketers who are in reckoning for the limitedovers series against England at home, and for the T20 World Cup in India later this year. Among these tests was the now famous yo-yo test and the new ‘2km run’ fitness test. In this test, a batsman, wicketkeeper or a spinner has to complete the twokilometre distance in eight minutes and 30 seconds, while for a fast bowler, the benchmark is eight minutes and 15 seconds. Six of the players failed to clear these tests. Some players barely managed to complete the run,” the source said.
Asked about the reason behind conducting this new test, the source said: “Like in the case of the yo-yo test, it will be mandatory. Kohli and Shastri are convinced about this criteria being set in stone.”
(With TOI inputs)