Why Yuvraj, Raina were left out of ODI squad for SL series
NEW DELHI The failure to clear the ‘Yo-Yo’ endurance test at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) was the primary reason why Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina were not considered for the Sri Lanka limited-overs series.
The India team regularly undergoes a series of fitness tests with ‘Yo-Yo’ endurance test being the most important of them.
It is an advanced version of the ‘beep’ test that was used by teams of earlier generations. The current team is considered to be the fittest by a fair distance.
It has been learnt that the acceptable ‘Yo-Yo’ score is 19.5 and upwards. Captain Virat Kohli, easily the fittest India cricketer, scores around 21 in the test.
However, both Yuvraj and Raina have scored well below the permissible level of 19.5 with Yuvraj barely managing to touch 16, which was the biggest reason for his ouster.
In the Yo-Yo test, cones are placed to mark out two lines 20 metres apart. A player starts with his foot behind one of the lines and begins running when instructed.
The player continues to run between the two lines, turning when signalled by the recorded beeps.
After each minute or so, the pace gets quicker. If the line is not reached in time, the player must run to the line turn and try to catch up with the pace within two more ‘beeps’.
The test is stopped if the player fails to catch up with the pace within the two ends.
The entire process is software based where the results are recorded.
“The current team thinktank, coach Ravi Shastri, skipper Kohli and chairman of selectors MSK Prasad have made it clear that fitness standards are non-negotiable.
“On an average, Australian cricketers score 21 in Yo-Yo test. Virat, Ravindra Jadeja, Manish Pandey regularly hit that score while others are either touching 19.5 or hitting above that score,” said a BCCI official.