Gavaskar also spoke about the India vs. Pakistan rivalry.
The Indian team was in the midst of a training camp in Bengaluru to prep for the continental tournament.
Kohli shared his Yo-Yo test score of 17.2 on his Instagram story, which irked the BCCI authorities, who deemed it a 'breach of contract' and issued instructions to the players, advising them against sharing confidential information with the public.
Then a few days later, PTI reported that Shubman Gill achieved a higher score than Kohli – specifically, a score of 18.7. Gill's impressive score surpassed the required threshold of 16.5, setting a precedent that suggests Kohli may no longer be the fittest Indian cricketer.
Weighing in on the matter, Gavaskar cautioned against reading too much into Gill's higher score and explained the rationale behind conducting such tests on a global stage.
"There was a lot of excitement when Kohli put out his Yo-Yo score which was more than the limit that the BCCI trainers had set. Shubman Gill posting an even better Yo-Yo score than Virat was by no means one-upmanship. The age difference between the two mustn't be forgotten and the elder has to be admired for his fitness standard. The BCCI then directed that nobody should post their Yo-Yo test scores which might have actually saved some blushes for some," Gavaskar wrote in his column for Mid-Day.
"If it is true that unless the minimum standard of the YoYo test is not met, then the player is not eligible for selection then it's all the more important for this test to be done in the public domain so that the public that follows the game in their millions know that there are no players who have not met the minimum standard in the team,” he added.
Gavaskar also spoke about the hype of the India vs. Pakistan encounter as the two teams are slated to clash on September 10 in Colombo in the Super 4s stage of the Asia Cup 2023.
The legendary batter said that he finds it disheartening when individuals use this platform to further their personal agendas.
"As usual, it's been hyped up as the best rivalry in the world in cricket. It certainly gets even the non-cricket followers in both countries also interested even if it's just for the day, because of the history between the two countries but also the political mileage that can be derived out of it. The players over the years know that they will be made tools by those in both countries who have no interest in the game but to promote their own agenda," the Little Master added.