The recent instances of the players failing the fitness tests and being left out of the national squad is something to do with the team management’s decision to come down on the ‘unfit’ players. What more, the team management now wants to raise the Yo-Yo bar from 16.1 to 16.3.
The whip came from Ravi Shastri, who declared that players not attaining the minimum score on the Yo-Yo test, should not be allowed to be part of the national squad. Mohammed Shami was left out of the side on Monday and three days prior to that, Sanju Samson was dropped from the India A team.
Sources conversant with the development have told this paper that the crackdown came keeping the future in mind. “Ravi has instructed that every player must pass the Yo-Yo test. He has taken the decision keeping in view the tough overseas assignments for the team, including next year’s World Cup,” the source said. The India A management and the selection committee are also on board in this matter.
It was learnt that originally, a decision that there should not be any compromise on fitness was taken at a combined meeting a year ago. In that meeting, the Indian team management, India A team management and the selection committee were present. The decisions are now being implemented fully.
Ravi Shastri raises the Yo-Yo test bar
