Former India cricketer Virender Sehwag believes that had Yo-Yo Test been introduced during his playing days, several legendary cricketers would have not been able to find a spot in the Indian team. His remark comes after he had claimed that the weightlifting exercises are a big cause of injuries to India players in modern-day cricket.
Notably, the former Delhi Daredevils captain took a shy at the management after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) reintroduced Yo-Yo Test and Dexa (bone scan Test) as compulsory criteria for selection in the Indian team. He was suggesting that the ability to contribute with the bat or ball should be the primary criteria.
“There was a trend in the Indian team that if you fail Yo-Yo test, you won't get a chance. If this was the case during our time, then a lot of legendary players wouldn't have been part of the team because they would have failed the Yo-Yo test," Sehwag told News18.
“During that time, focus was on skills. Who will win you matches: One who performs well or the one who runs better? If you want good runners, then have them run marathons, no need to play cricket. That's what I believe," he added.
Sehwag was part of the Indian dressing room which had legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman and Anil Kumble among others. While India weren't rated among the fittest teams in the world then, the team reached the finals of the 2003 World Cup, also registering some famous wins both in India and abroad.
However, the cricketing culture changed under MS Dhoni with the wicketkeper-batter famously calling some of the team's fielders "slow" and resting and rotating many senior players only because they were not the fastest on the field.
The same legacy was carried forward by Virat Kohli, who took over the leadership baton from Dhoni, as he led by example in fitness and work ethic.