Yo-yo Test might get harsher in the future

What's the story?

The yo-yo test conducted by the Indian team's trainers and coaches stands a chance of getting harsher in the times to come. It is being estimated that a score of 16.5 or perhaps even 17 could be considered as the standard score which now sits at 16.1, which was the target set by India's coaching staff.

What is the yo-yo test?

The yo-yo test requires a player to run between two cones kept 20 metres apart on a flat ground. He must start on a beep and reach the opposite cone before the second beep; and before the third one, he should have returned to the cone from which he had started.

Different teams have set different speed levels for their respective players to clear the test. While India have set it at 16.1, Pakistan have kept it at 17.4 and New Zealand at 20.1.

In case you didn't know...

Anil Kumble, as India's head coach, had made it mandatory for Indian cricketers to clear the test in order to prove their fitness. However, both Suresh Raina and Yuvraj Singh have flunked the test in the past.

The heart of the matter

As reported by the Times of India, a source said, “There are discussions going on as to whether the benchmark could go a touch higher, say 16.5, to increase the fitness standards further. There has to be a progression in every aspect and fitness is no different. However, nothing has been finalised."

Author's Take

With fitness being of prime importance to survive in the modern day of sports, a challenging test like the yo-yo test is perhaps the finest of measures to check how agile a sportsperson is. And with rising standards of fitness, it may not be entirely surprising if India's coaching staff raises the required minimum score, especially with captain Virat Kohli keenly focussed on it.