BCCI fitness test system under scrutiny after player cleared while overweight
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is reportedly overhauling its player fitness monitoring system, introducing stricter benchmarks and a fixed standard for the Bronco Test. This comes after concerns were raised regarding pacer Harshit Rana’s fitness status, who was found to be overweight despite being cleared for a tour.
The situation has brought to light inconsistencies in fitness assessments and coordination issues between the Indian team’s medical staff and the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru. The new fitness regime aims to address player injuries and ensure consistent fitness levels across the squad.
Concerns over player fitness monitoring
Harshit Rana’s return from the England tour exposed issues within the BCCI’s fitness monitoring system. The India pacer was reportedly four kilograms overweight despite having received clearance for selection. This prompted the board to introduce more stringent and uniform fitness benchmarks.
A source indicated that the Indian team management flagged Rana’s overweight status. The CoE was expected to be more vigilant, and Rana has since been informed by CoE staff that his weight should not exceed 96 kg. He is currently reported to be 94 kg and is anticipated to be cleared in the coming week. However, he weighed 97 kg when he was initially cleared for the UK tour.
Rana was returning from a knee injury when he was cleared for the England tour, raising questions about the coordination between the Indian team’s medical staff and the CoE in monitoring player fitness. These concerns emerge at a time when India has experienced a series of injury setbacks involving key players such as Jasprit Bumrah and Nitish Kumar Reddy. Reports suggest that the medical teams at the CoE and with the Indian squad have faced challenges in working together effectively to assess player fitness.
New fitness benchmarks introduced
Following the appointment of Adrian Le Roux as India’s strength and conditioning coach last year, the BCCI replaced the Yo-Yo Test with the Bronco Test as its primary fitness assessment. Initially, there was no fixed benchmark for the Bronco Test, with different players being evaluated against varying standards.
This is now set to change, as the BCCI has reportedly established a benchmark of 5 minutes 15 seconds to 5 minutes 20 seconds in the Bronco Test for players to be considered fit for selection. Additionally, contracted Indian cricketers will be required to complete 2-kilometre sprints within 9 to 10 minutes.
Inconsistencies in fitness assessments have been noted, with some senior players reportedly given more lenient targets to meet in order to pass fitness tests. The CoE staff had also cleared players like Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy, reportedly to meet the team management’s requirements for player availability.
Furthermore, several regular India players were reportedly not adequately informed about the new fitness regime. Mohammed Siraj was reportedly surprised when he was asked to undergo the Bronco Test at the CoE before the team’s departure for the Sri Lanka tour.
The current situation has led to scrutiny of the Team India support staff and the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, particularly after a series of injuries to top Indian cricketers ahead of the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka, which is scheduled to begin in Galle on August 15. India is currently missing several first-choice cricketers, including Jasprit Bumrah, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, and Harshit Rana.
Batter Sai Sudharsan is also at the CoE in Bengaluru, dealing with a toe niggle. Questions have been raised regarding the injury management and recovery processes for Indian cricketers, with significant concern surrounding Kolkata Knight Riders pacer Harshit Rana’s fitness clearance. Rana had sustained a knee injury in a warm-up game against South Africa prior to the T20 World Cup 2026 tournament earlier this year.
The 24-year-old pacer has played in 2 Tests, 14 ODIs, and 14 T20I matches so far, and he missed the entire IPL 2026 season after undergoing knee surgery. He was subsequently fast-tracked back into the Team India squad for the ODI series against Afghanistan after returning from surgery in June. It is believed that Rana was still overweight after spending months on the sidelines due to his knee surgery. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia has reportedly questioned new Team India physio Kamlesh Jain regarding the injuries and declining fitness standards.
Reports indicate that Rana was sent back to the CoE in Bengaluru from the England tour not due to an injury but because of severe cramps, and he was also found to be four kilograms overweight. The India vs Sri Lanka series will mark Shubman Gill’s side’s first campaign in the WTC 2025-27 calendar this year.
Source: m.rediff.com
Priya Menon 