The Yo-Yo test
The Indian cricket squad was first exposed to Yo-Yo test under the fitness-driven leadership of Virat Kohli. It is a technique created by soccer physiotherapist Jens Bangsbo. It is a “maximal aerobic endurance fitness test, involving running between markers placed 20 metres apart, at increasing speeds, until exhaustion.”
The most often used variant requires sprinting between two markers spaced 20 metres distant while adhering to aural cues that provide the appropriate running speed. The athletes pause for 10 seconds before beginning another 40-meter run. The needed running pace rises at regular intervals. The test continues until none of the participants can maintain the requisite pace. Based on the number of levels a player can complete, they are given a rating. Previously, the BCCI put the passing score for the exam at 17.
What are a few objections to the Yo-Yo test?
In the post-pandemic era, with Covid regulations in place, the team decided against using the Yo-Yo test as a performance criterion and instead chose a 2 km run (around seven and half minutes). This followed harsh criticism of the test used to make selections, with detractors contending that it is an unnecessary criterion that does not accurately represent a player’s talents or abilities.
The analysis of broad movement patterns may be done using yo-yo tests. Different players respond differently based on their physique and respiratory capacity. The yo-yo test isn’t a very good predictor of where a player ranks in cricket, which requires skill sets like hand-eye coordination, foot movement, body equilibrium, upper and lower body endurance, reactions, how you create a balance with head posture, etc.
Dexa scans: What are they?
Given the huge rise in player workload brought on by the advent of T20 games and the professionalisation of the sport, Dexa scans were first suggested to the BCCI and the NCA in 2011. The instructors will be able to assess bone strength, water content, skeletal muscle mass, and body fat percentage using Dexa scans.
“It helps you understand where the fat is and whether the training methods are yielding the result. It is all linked to a cycle. It is part of testing protocols that should have become mandatory long back. Some teams have been doing this for 10 years. It is a fool-proof method… Dexa it will be uniform and the data will be used for the future as well,” Ramji Srinivasan, former strength and conditioning coach of the Indian team, told the Indian Express.
Recent Development
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will attempt to herald a fresh approach for Indian cricket with the commencement of a new year. India will attempt to capture its first trophy on the greatest platform since 2011 as it conducts the 50-over World Cup in 2023. India’s performances in ICC competitions since winning the 2013 Champions Trophy have been underwhelming despite many promises.
The BCCI held a panel discussion on January 1st to talk about the future of the Indian men’s squad. The (re)introduction of the Yo-Yo Test and the inclusion of Dexa scans for squad selection were announced by the BCCI during the meeting.
