Former opener Virender Sehwag has hailed Virat Kohli for bringing in fitness culture in Indian cricket and considered him one of the best cricketers of this generation.
Kohli has rarely been out of the Indian side due to injuries, and his fitness has often rubbed off on his teammates as well.
Virender Sehwag has hailed Virat Kohli for bringing in fitness culture in the team. “Hats off to Virat Kohli for starting the trend of fitness in World Cricket. He brings the fitness culture to Indian cricket. He’s the fittest Cricketer of this Era. Now, because of Virat Kohli, every young cricketer wants to be fit,” said Sehwag.
Virat Kohli has mastered the yo-yo test which is considered a benchmark for fitness and used as a scale through which players are picked for the team.
Virat Kohli has already retired from T20I format and has recently retired from Tests, but will continue playing ODIs with one eye on the 2027 World Cup. He will be next be in action in October during India’s tour of Australia in October, where they will play three ODIs.
The Indian dressing room witnessed the implementation of compulsory fitness tests such as the yo-yo test. It produced a culter in which fitness was given the same respect as skill.
Players had to live up to high standards of fitness, and this meant sharper fielding and longer-lasting stamina in matches.
Sehwag admitted that fitness wasn’t always the top priority during his playing days. However, Virat Kohli made it ‘cool’ for cricketers to be strict about their bodies.
Meanwhile, BCCI has added the Bronco Test as one of the more fitness standard for Indian cricketers, in addition to the Yo-Yo test and 2km run with time trial.
The Bronco test which was rugby, the Bronco Test assesses aerobic endurance by way of steady shuttle runs of 20, 40 and 60 metres, for five cycles.
Unlike the Yo-Yo test, which focuses on recovery and agility with breaks, the Bronco will test the stamina and together, these tests form a complete fitness model specific to cricket’s increasing physical strength.
