Virat Kohli in a practice drill© BCCI/Sportzpics
Team India's problems on the international circuit since the arrival of head coach Gautam Gambhir have not gone down well with the board. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is reportedly keen to bring back the old rules on fitness tests that were in place during Virat Kohli's captaincy days. The board had abolished the mandatory yo-yo fitness test, considering the workload and travel frequency for the players. But a report claims the rule could be brought back.
According to the Times of India, BCCI's medical team has been asked to go back to fitness criteria for selection instead of just focusing on injury prevention due to the grueling schedule. The yo-yo testing mandate was withdrawn by previous management to reduce injuries, but a turnaround could now be on the cards.
“The board has become more lenient towards the players as they are mainly on the road. The focus has shifted to injury prevention alone. Some players have taken this lightly. There are suggestions that certain fitness level criteria need to be reintroduced so that complacency creeps in not in,” the newspaper quoted a source.
The BCCI is reportedly looking to make a few more changes in the way the team functions, including restricting the stay of family members and wives of players.
Officials believe the presence of families, especially during overseas assignments, can distract players and affect their performance. Additionally, the BCCI has introduced a rule requiring all players to travel with the team at all times.
The change addresses concerns that some players have chosen to travel separately in recent years, which the board believes disrupts team cohesion and discipline.
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