Virat Kohli is gearing up for the Australia series after clearing the fitness test. However, BCCI's decision to allow Kohli to take his fitness test in London rather than Bengaluru has drawn criticism. According to a Dainik Bhaskar report, Kohli had taken BCCI's permission to take the fitness test in London, which was overseen by the strength and conditioning coach and physiotherapist from the board.
Rohit Sharma, 38, had cleared the fitness test at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru prior to Virat. On August 29, other Indian team members attended their fitness test at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru.
At the moment, Virat Kohli is residing and practicing in England. Along with Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja, he had previously retired from the T20 format following the 2024 T20 World Cup final and recently decided to hang up the boots in the Test format. Virat will now only represent India in ODI format.
No Bronco test for Team India players
In the latest update, the newly introduced Bronco test has not been implemented yet. According to the Times Of India report, players proved their fitness using the existing system, and not on the basis of the Bronco Test.
A source speaking to the publication said, "It could happen when the squad assembles in Dubai for the Asia Cup. The team will start leaving late tonight (early morning of September 4) and have their first session at the ICC Academy on September 5. So if the management and the S&C want to do a Bronco assessment, it could happen in Dubai, if it happens at all,"
The Bronco test has long been used in rugby as a high-intensity running drill. The test is used to measure an athlete's aerobic endurance, speed, and ability to recover from fatigue. The suggestion came from the Indian team’s strength and conditioning coach, Adrian le Roux, with head coach Gautam Gambhir also on the same page.
