Ravi Shastri, during his tenure as head coach of Team India, faced a challenging task alongside the leadership group: convincing players to embrace the yo-yo test. Introduced in 2017 by strength and conditioning coach Shankar Basu, the test aimed to elevate the team’s fitness levels and has since become a permanent part of Indian cricket. Designed to assess endurance through a series of exercises and drills, it required players to achieve a minimum score of 16.2 to remain eligible for selection. For some, this benchmark proved career-ending, as several cricketers faded from the national scene after failing to meet the standard.
Reflecting on this period during a conversation on the DP World Dressing Room Show with Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Ajay Jadeja, and Nikhil Chopra, Shastri shared how certain players hesitated to participate. They were acutely aware that clearing the test was far from guaranteed. No exceptions were made – failure meant exclusion, and the stakes were non-negotiable. Despite the reluctance, the turning point came when MS Dhoni stepped up, lending his authority to make the test mandatory and rallying the team to embrace the challenge.
“It was an effort for us to convince the team. Because not many were sure whether they would pass the test, and they might have been great players. In a team, you may have some exceptions when there are genuine match-winners who are naturally talented. It’s the job of the coach and captain to pick those guys, irrespective. But the general message to the team is ‘Get fit, or on your bike’. It was for everyone, bar none. And I remember one of the meetings where MS Dhoni said, ‘Let’s all do it now’. He was not the captain; Virat was the captain. It was in Sri Lanka. Dambulla,” Shastri said.
India were just getting started
Shastri emphasised that India’s shift in fitness monitoring was a direct response to the evolving demands of world cricket. Teams like New Zealand and Australia were already excelling in the yo-yo test, setting a benchmark that India needed to match. He credited the test as a cornerstone of the success achieved during the Shastri-Kohli era, noting that once it was fully integrated into the system, there was no turning back. The yo-yo test became a non-negotiable standard, leaving no room for players unwilling to adapt.
“It wasn’t a big Yo-Yo. It was 16.2 or something. Whereas teams like New Zealand were at 19. Australia were 18. We were just putting 16.2. And even that to put across wasn’t easy. When it came to convincing, it was about telling them that the team will benefit; it’s not about you. If you want to be part of the team, and you want to be one of the best fielding sides, jolly well do it or we’ll find someone else’,” added Shastri.