The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the (re)introduction of the Yo-Yo Test and the introduction of Dexa scans for the purposes of selection to the team.
About Yo-Yo test
- It was developed by Danish football physiologist Jens Bangsbo. It is a “maximal aerobic endurance fitness test, involving running between markers placed 20 metres apart, at increasing speeds, until exhaustion.”
- The most commonly used version involves running between two markers 20 metres apart, following audio cues which dictate the running speed required. After each 40 metres run, the participants have an active break of 10 seconds before running 40 metres again.
- At regular intervals, the required running speed increases. The test continues until the participants are no longer able to keep up with the required pace. Players are given scores on the basis of how many levels they are able to clear.
- The Yo-Yo test was first introduced to the Indian cricket team during Virat Kohli’s fitness-focused captaincy reign.
- Previously, the minimum score set by the BCCI to pass the test was 17.
Dexa (dual x-ray absorptiometry) scans
- DEXA scans measure bone density (thickness and strength of bones) by passing a high and low energy x-ray beam (a form of ionizing radiation) through the body, usually in the hip and the spine.
- Through Dexa tests, the trainers measure body fat percentage, lean muscle mass, water content and bone density.
- Dexa scans were recommended to the BCCI and the NCA as far back in 2011 because of a significant increase in players’ workloads with the introduction of T20 cricket and professionalisation of the game.
(Sources: Indian Express and CDC)
