If you cannot pass the yo-yo test, you can take a walk: Ravi Shastri

In the last few months, quite a few players have lost their spots in the Indian team failing to qualify the yo-yo test. Along with performance fitness has been a key metric to assess the value of a player in the current Indian team. Very recently Mohammed Shami and Ambati Rayudu were replaced in the Indian Test and ODI team after failing the yo-yo test. Despite criticism, both captain Virat Kohli and head coach Ravi Shastri are clear that they want to stick with it.

A lot of former cricketers and some experts have been critical of this move by the team management. Some of them think giving fitness more importance for selection isn’t justice to the players who have the talent to make it big at the highest level. However, Shastri clarified that the yo-yo test is here to stay and the players will have to fall in line in order to be considered for selection.

Clear the test or take a walk

“The yo-yo Test is here to stay. If you can pass it, well and good. If not, you can take a walk. There is no room for error. The captain is leading from the front,” Shastri said while interacting with the media before the Indian team’s departure for the UK tour.

Shami was a part of the squad for the one-off Test match against Afghanistan in Bangalore but was replaced by Navdeep Saini after he failed to meet the benchmark score on the fitness test.

It also cost wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson a spot in the India A team for the tour of England. In the past veterans like Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina along with young spinner, Washington Sundar were not included in the team due to their failure in hitting the 16.1 score on the yo-yo test.

As a turn of fortune, Raina who has attained the expected level of fitness now was named as the replacement for Rayudu in the Indian ODI squad for the tour of England.

Team India will play two T20Is in Ireland on June 27 and 29 in Dublin. Following which they will fly to England for a tour that consist of three ODIs, three T20Is and a five-match Test series.

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