BCCI Plans Major Fitness Overhaul After Injury Concerns In Team India

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is reportedly preparing to revamp the fitness programme at its Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru following growing concerns over injuries in the Indian cricket team, according to a report by Times of India.

The report states that the CoE is now working towards introducing one standard fitness benchmark for all players instead of setting different targets for individuals. Since Adrian Le Roux became the team's strength and conditioning coach, the Bronco Test has replaced the Yo-Yo Test as the main method to assess a player's fitness.

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As part of the proposed changes, the BCCI medical team has reportedly fixed a target of 5.15 to 5.20 minutes to complete the Bronco Test drills for players to be declared fit. In addition, cricketers will be expected to finish the 2-km run in 9 to 10 minutes.

“The Indian players are not used to the Bronco test. Over the last year, the CoE had set different base parameters for players. It has now emerged that certain senior players were given much more comfortable targets to meet to clear fitness tests. The CoE staff had also cleared players like Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy to make sure it was delivering players according to team management's needs,” a BCCI source told TOI.

The report also said that Indian team physiotherapist Kamlesh Jain faced questions from both the BCCI and the team management over what they viewed as a decline in the overall fitness standards of some players. Frequent cases of players suffering cramps during the tour of England also reportedly raised concerns.

“Kamlesh has been told that he shouldn't worry about any player's stature and flag anything that he doesn't find satisfactory. It has been seen that the mobility of some of the players in the field has been questionable. Senior batters are struggling to push their running between the wickets as they bat longer. The number of slow fielders has increased,” the source said.

The report further explained why fast bowler Harshit Rana was left out after the third T20I against England.

“The Indian team management flagged that he was overweight by four kgs. The CoE should have been much more vigilant. He has been now told by CoE staff that his weight can't exceed 96 kgs. He is now 94 kgs and is expected to be cleared next week. But he was 97 kgs when he was cleared to be picked for the Indian team for the UK tour,” the source said.

According to the report, the BCCI hopes that introducing uniform fitness standards and stricter monitoring at the Centre of Excellence will help improve player conditioning and reduce injury concerns going forward.