Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina has been omitted from the limited-overs squad to face Sri Lanka due to their failure of clearing the ‘Yo-Yo’ endurance test at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru.
It is an advanced version of the ‘beep’ test that was used by teams of earlier generations. The current Indian team is considered to be the fittest by a fair distance.
For the current Indian team, the acceptable score is 19.5 and above. While Virat Kohli scored around 21, both Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina scored well below the mark, with Yuvraj just barely managing to cross 16.
A BCCI official told PTI: “On an average, the Australian cricketers score 21 in Yo-Yo test. Here Virat, Ravindra Jadeja, Manish Pandey regularly hit that score while others are either touching 19.5 or is hitting above that score.”
Before adding, “The current team think tank, coach Ravi Shastri, skipper Virat Kohli and chairman of selectors MSK Prasad have made it clear that fitness standards are non-negotiable.”
While the 30-year-old Raina, who is trying hard to get back in shape, still has time on his side and could get fitter and get into the side, the signs look ominous for the 35-year-old Yuvraj, who might have played his last match for India, even if the chairman of selectors said that he was rested for the Sri Lanka series and not dropped.
