Who made YoYo test mandatory? BCCI asks CoA

Days after Team India head coach Ravi Shastri confirmed passing the Yo-Yo test as a mandatory criterion to get into the Indian side, a six-page letter drafted by BCCI treasurer Aniruddh Chaudhry on being kept in dark about the YoYo test has raised glaring question marks on the role it plays and its future going forward.

New Delhi: Days after Team India head coach Ravi Shastri confirmed passing the Yo-Yo test as a mandatory criterion to get into the Indian side, a six-page letter drafted by BCCI treasurer Aniruddh Chaudhry on being kept in dark about the YoYo test has raised glaring question marks on the role it plays and its future going forward.

CoA chief Vinod Rai too is likely to ask the cricket operations team headed by former India wicket-keeper batsman Saba Karim on why YoYo should be the only fitness parameter for national selection.

Three cricketers – Mohammed Shami, Sanju Samson and Ambati Rayudu were dropped from India and India A (Samson) squads despite clearing the fitness tests during selections. Rayudu’s omission in particular raised a lot of questions about the need of YoYo test.

Rayudu emerged one of the highest run-getters (602 runs) in the last edition of the IPL but was dropped from the Indian squad after flunking the YoYo test.

It sparked off a debate on what is pre-requisite - skill or fitness.

"Yes, the CoA chief is aware about the recent discussions. He hasn't interfered till now as it was a technical matter. But in the coming week, he plans to get a holistic information from head of Cricket Operations Saba Karim," a senior BCCI official, closely working with CoA told PTI.

"Mr Rai is aware about the Rayudu and Sanju Samson case. He knows that there are contrarian views about how much importance should be given to the test. It's not decided but he might ask for a presentation from NCA trainers about this particular test," the official said.

It has also been learnt that CoA chief may seek a second opinion from experts and a committee, comprising former players of repute along with trainers and experts might be formed for the purpose.

"It would be a more neutral view considering he (Rai) knows where the team management stands on this issue," a source said.

Chaudhury in his letter questioned as to how and when YoYo test became the sole fitness criteria for selection.

"This raises serious questions about functioning of the selection process at the moment since a player who has done exceedingly well in the IPL against best of international bowling and thereafter attended NCA to work further on his strength and conditioning is selected and is then declared unfit and hence replaced," Chaudhry wrote in his letter to CoA.

"I would therefore like to know more details about the fitness tests and weightage that is given to every component of the fitness test. I would also like to know who has devised such weightage and who all were involved in the decision-making process of the same," Chaudhry wrote.

YoYo Test is not an uncommon test in Indian cricketing circle. During earlier era, there used to be the old-fashioned beep test but that was never the only criteria for selection.

"It's not a game of football where you are continuously running up and down for 90 minutes where your aerobic endurance is paramount. Here the batsman will run two or sometimes three. That too at intervals. And mind YoYo score doesn't help in hitting sixes," a former India player, who has represented the country for decade and half told PTI on condition of anonymity.