The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to reintroduce the Yo-Yo test to improve the fitness of players across the country, as reported by a local news channel.
In the past, the Yo-Yo test was not conducted regularly, but the new Director of Domestic Cricket, Khurram Niazi, has approved a comprehensive plan to enhance fitness standards.
According to the plan, fitness tests will be carried out in two phases starting from July 11. In the first phase, tests will be conducted nationwide, beginning at the district level and then moving up to the regional level.
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has also given his approval for this fitness initiative.
Players who fail the fitness tests will face consequences, including being dropped from both national and regional teams. Niazi has emphasized that passing the fitness tests, including the Yo-Yo test, is now a requirement for regional contracts and team selection.
The fitness tests are mandatory for all players, including test cricketers, international players, and those playing at the national level.
What is the Yo-Yo Test?
The Yo-Yo test is a fitness assessment that measures a player’s aerobic endurance by running between two cones set 20 meters apart. When a beep sounds, the player must reach the opposite cone by the next beep, then return to the starting cone by the third beep. Completing this round-trip counts as one shuttle.
There is a seven-second rest period between each shuttle. As the levels progress, the time allowed to complete each shuttle decreases, and the number of shuttles per level increases, making the test more challenging. The test starts at level 5 and can go up to level 23. A player’s test ends when they miss two consecutive beeps.
The results of the test are recorded using software, ensuring accuracy and transparency.
Previously, former Pakistan team director Mohammad Hafeez revealed that the Yo-Yo test and other fitness assessments were sidelined under the management of Mickey Arthur and Grant Bradburn. Hafeez expressed his disappointment on the Club Prairie Fire podcast, sharing a conversation with the team’s trainer, who admitted to following the previous management’s directives to relax fitness standards.
With the reintroduction of the Yo-Yo test, the PCB aims to ensure that Pakistan’s cricket players are in top physical condition, ready to compete at the highest level.