Yo-Yo test shouldn't be sole criteria for team selection: Mohammad Kaif

The Indian team has set 16.1 as the Yo-Yo test benchmark and player failing to clear the test is not selected

For the last couple of year, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has been emphasising on the Yo-Yo fitness test for selecting players for any series. The Indian team has set 16.1 as the Yo-Yo test benchmark and player failing to clear the test is not selected.

With the course of time, the existence of this test has become a debatable issue and recently, former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif has opined his views. One of the fittest cricketers of his time, Kaif stated that the Yo-Yo fitness test cannot be the "sole criteria" for picking players, calling for a more balanced approach in team selection.

“Fitness is important as we have that the fielding standard of the Indian team has improved a lot. But there should be a balanced approach,” Kaif said.

“If a player is scoring runs and taking wickets, dropping him solely on the basis that he could not pass the 'Yo-Yo' is not good,” he added.

The most recent example was Ambati Rayudu, whose national comeback after nearly two years was stalled when he failed to clear the Yo-Yo test despite scoring 600 plus runs in the IPL.  Subsequently, Rayudu cleared the fitness test and was picked for the Asia Cup.

“When I was in the team, there was a test (beep test) to know the fitness of the players but never was a player dropped from the team. He would be told that his fitness level was not good and will have to make improvements in the next few months,” Kaif said.