Reports: The Yo-yo test to get tougher for Indian players

Indian cricketers in the current setup don’t just need to worry about the form and performance but also have to match the high fitness standards set by the team. Passing the Yo-Yo test is mandatory to be eligible for selection in the team led by Virat Kohli. The skipper himself has set a very high benchmark and all his players are expected to match it.

A cricketer needs higher levels of stamina, endurance along with mental strength while playing at the highest level against the best of teams. Thus to ensure only the creamy layer enter the national team they’ve added yo-yo test as eligibility criteria. Taking lead from there domestic sides are also looking to make the Yo-Yo test clearance mandatory. The Punjab Cricket Association is first among the many who are thinking on these lines.

The Yo-Yo test standards to go up

In a recent development, the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) has decided to raise the bar for Yo-Yo test. The score has now been increased from 16.1 to 16.5. This means, that cricketers who have passed the Yo-Yo test recently and scored anything under 16.5 should go through it again and attain a better score.

So, the veteran batsmen Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina will now face the test again to qualify for selection and will have to cross the 16.5 mark. Further to their disappointment, the BCCI plans to increase the qualification mark to 17.0 soon.

Although a score of 16.5 might look high, it is still the lowest among many other countries. The Australian team has a par score requirement set at 21 whereas Pakistan’s benchmark score is 17.0.

Highest scorers

Among the players, in the current squad, the likes of skipper Kohli, MS Dhoni, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja and Manish Pandey topped the test. While Kohli has a score of 19, Pandey bettered him to touch 19.5 and aced it to be the best among the lot.