Top 5 players who have beaten Virat Kohli in yo-yo test

Modern-day cricket has evolved much beyond the two-dimensional ‘bat versus ball’ contest. The current game also demands players to be more agile and energetic on the field. And when it comes to those two aspects, there’s hardly a cricketer who can surpass the Indian captain, Virat Kohli. Or is there? Virat Kohli and his amazing athleticism have long inspired people all around the globe to work towards their fitness. Many regard him as the standalone benchmark for how physically well-maintained a sportsperson should be. But, as it turns out, statistically, there are quite a few players who have usurped King Kohli’s throne, as far as fitness is concerned. The relay-running-based Yo-yo test process is one of the most popular parameters for evaluating a player’s fitness. Back in 2017, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) included the test as a quintessential part of its assessment guidelines. Virat Kohli, unsurprisingly, stood out as the top performer on that test, registering a solid score of 19. Over time, though, the likes of Manish Pandey (19.2), Mayank Dagar (19.3), and Ahmad Bandav (19.4) did exceed that benchmark. But even setting those players aside, there are quite a few international cricketers who have- on some occasion or another- outperformed Kohli on the yo-yo test. Here’s a look through five of them who have toppled Virat Kohli: 5. Jonny Bairstow - 21.8 Jonny Bairstow. (Photo Source: Twitter) Jonny Bairstow, the England batter known for his ultra-aggressive batting, ranks 5th in the world when it comes to yo-yo test score. Bairstow likes to take on the bowlers from the word get-go. Not just that, the right-hand batter is also a handy wicketkeeper. Since Bairstow is a vital cog in England's cricket team he has set incredibly high standards for himself when it comes to fitness. Bairstow's fitness can be quantified in terms of brilliant yo-yo test score which is also the second best among all England cricketers. 4. Al-Amin Hossain - 22.1 Al-Amin Hossain. (Photo Source: Twitter) A relatively less-known former Bangladesh bowler, Hossain made his debut in 2013. Although he did not play a lot of games, it was certainly not due to his fitness. With a yo-yo score of 22.1 Al-Amin Hossain ranks joint 2nd among the cricketers with the highest yo-yo score in international cricket. The right-arm pacer only played 7 Tests, 15 ODIs and 31 T20Is for Bangladesh taking 9, 22 and 43 wickets respectively. Although Hossain could not make a mark on international cricket, he continues to grace the record books with his sensational yo-yo test score which is better than even that of Virat Kohli's. 3. Mohammad Rizwan - 22.1 Mohammad Rizwan (Photo Source: ASIF HASSAN/AFP via Getty Images) Pakistan's wicket-keeping batter Rizwan ranks joint second when it comes to yo-yo test score. In a team where fitness isn't players' forte, Rizwan stands tall with his incredible yo-yo test score of 22.1. The right-hand batter has become one of Pakistan's most important players with his brilliant batting and quirky wicket-keeping skills. The Peshawar-born cricketer apart from being incredibly fit is also a very funny character on and off the field. Rizwan could often be seen cracking jokes with his teammates and also players from opposition teams. Although he still has a long way to go when it comes to breaking any of Virat Kohli's cricketing records, Rizwan has certainly broken Kohli's yo-yo test score and that is no mean feat. 2. Shan Masood- 22.1 Shan Masood. (Photo Source: Getty Images) Masood, the Kuwait-born Test-opener, has been one of the vital cogs in the Pakistan Test team post their ‘MissYou’ era. The southpaw has been fairly successful in blunting out the opposing bowlers’ venom courtesy of his gritty batting approach, which in turn, has enabled him to play some long innings at the top. Case in point, his most recent century against England at Old Trafford, where he batted for two entire days to score 156 off 319 balls. It takes a genuine level of fitness to bat with such a strong temperament in England’s fickle batting conditions. That becomes all the more evident from a quick look through his yo-yo test scores. Back in 2017, Masood registered 22.1- all-time high figures in the Pakistan team. 1. Sir Alastair Cook- 22.3 Alastair Cook (Photo Source: Twitter) Back when he was playing international cricket, the erstwhile England captain had a reputation for tiring out the opposition bowlers through his patient and effortless batting. The Sussex-based opener’s exceptional stamina levels are well-established from the fact that he featured in 156 Tests for England- the most for any player. Over the course of those games, the Chef creamed bowlers for over 12,000 runs, facing a total of 26,562 deliveries. Naturally, it takes otherworldly levels of fitness to notch up such amazing accomplishments. Cook’s god-like yo-yo test numbers certainly validate that point; over on a test conducted back in 2018, the (then) 33-year-old opener put his young English teammates to shame, as he recorded a score of 22.3- the highest for any cricketer to date!

Topics

Featured Section

Current Series

Cricket Fantasy Tips

Cricket Stats

IPL Teams

ICC Rankings

Interviews

Twitter Reactions

Cricket Appeal

Social Tracker

More Links

# Follow Us

Other Sports

Top 5 players who have beaten Virat Kohli in yo-yo test

Statistically, there are quite a few players who have usurped King Kohli’s throne, as far as fitness is concerned.

2. Shan Masood- 22.1

Latest Articles

These three player battles could determine the outcome.

It could be MS Dhoni’s last game - Shane Watson

May 18: IPL 2024 Social Media Trends - Trending tweets