NewsIndia

By Ishaan Kapoor — 6 August 2026 — 3 min read

Concerns Over Player Fitness Monitoring

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is reportedly re-evaluating its player fitness monitoring system, introducing stricter benchmarks and a standardised Bronco Test. This comes after pacer Harshit Rana was found to be overweight despite being cleared for an international tour. Issues have been raised regarding the coordination between the Indian team’s medical staff and the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in assessing player fitness. Inconsistencies in fitness test parameters, including different standards for senior players, have also been reported.

Harshit Rana’s return from the England tour highlighted deficiencies in the BCCI’s fitness monitoring. The India pacer was reportedly four kilograms overweight after being cleared for selection, prompting the board to implement more uniform fitness benchmarks. A source indicated that the Indian team management flagged his overweight status, suggesting the CoE should have been more vigilant. Rana, who was 97 kg when cleared for the UK tour, has since been advised by CoE staff that his weight should not exceed 96 kg and is currently 94 kg.

The situation has raised questions about the collaboration between the Indian team’s medical staff and the CoE, especially given that Rana was returning from a knee injury when he received clearance for the England tour. These concerns arise as India has experienced several injury setbacks involving key players such as Jasprit Bumrah and Nitish Kumar Reddy. Reports suggest that medical teams at both 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, 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, leading to different players being evaluated against varying standards. This is now set to change, with the BCCI reportedly establishing a benchmark of 5 minutes 15 seconds to 5 minutes 20 seconds for the Bronco Test to determine player selection fitness.

The new fitness regime aims to address player injuries and ensure consistent fitness levels across the squad. In addition to the Bronco Test, contracted Indian cricketers will also be required to complete 2-kilometre sprints within 9 to 10 minutes. These measures are part of a broader effort to introduce more stringent fitness tests within the BCCI.

Reports also suggest that some regular India players were not adequately informed about the new fitness protocols. For instance, Mohammed Siraj was reportedly surprised when asked to undergo the Bronco Test at the CoE before the team’s departure for the Sri Lanka tour. This indicates a potential communication gap regarding the implementation of the new fitness regime.

Impact on Player Selection and Future Tours

The issues surrounding player fitness have come to light ahead of the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka, scheduled to begin in Galle on August 15. India is currently without at least four first-choice cricketers, including Jasprit Bumrah, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, and Harshit Rana. Additionally, batter Sai Sudharsan is at the CoE in Bengaluru managing a toe niggle.

Questions are being raised about the injury management and recovery processes for Indian cricketers, with particular concern over Harshit Rana’s fitness clearance. Rana had sustained a knee injury in a warm-up game against South Africa earlier this year. He subsequently underwent knee surgery and captained the entire IPL 2026 season. Despite being fast-tracked back into the Team India squad for the ODI series against Afghanistan after his surgery in June, he was reportedly still overweight.

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia has reportedly questioned new Team India physio Kamlesh Jain regarding the injuries and declining fitness standards. It was also reported 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 being 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, with the visitors having not lost a series in Sri Lanka in the last 18 years.

Source: m.rediff.com