BCCI Mandates DEXA Test For National Team Selection - Here's What You Need To Know

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced that the Yo-Yo test and DEXA (dual energy X-ray absorptiometry) are now mandatory for national team selection.

Yo-Yo Test and DEXA (dual energy X-ray absorptiometry) will now be part of the selection criteria and will be implemented in the customized roadmap for the central pool of players.

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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) took some major decisions during the Team India performance review meeting ahead of the ODI World Cup 2023. The apex board announced that the Yo-Yo test and DEXA (dual energy X-ray absorptiometry) are now be mandatory for national team selection. 

Earlier, players had to only go through a yo-yo test before selection, but now the DEXA Test is also mandatory for selection in national team. Injured players trying to return to the national team are now required to undergo DEXA Test. So let's know what DEXA Test is and why it is important for players.

As per a BCCI media release, Yo-Yo Test and DEXA (dual energy X-ray absorptiometry) will now be part of the selection criteria and will be implemented in the customized roadmap for the central pool of players. After achieving fitness, the players will now have to undergo a fitness test and a special type of X-ray checkup.

What is DEXA Test?

DEXA scan uses X-ray technology that measures bone strength. Apart from this, this test tells the possibilities of any kind of fracture in the bone even before it is developed.

DEXA or Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry is also called the bone density test. It is a special type of X-ray which determines the Bone Mineral Density of a person/player. In this scientific method, two types of beams are used in which one is a high energy beam and the other is a low energy beam. Both beams pass through the inside of the bone and perform X-ray. The test also determines the thickness and mineral content of the bone. Doctors can measure bone density based on a chart revealed by the X-ray.

In another key decision, BCCI decided that the emerging players have to play enough domestic seasons to be eligible for selection in the national team. This means that if a player performs well in IPL, then he will have to play a lot of matches in domestic cricket as well.