Virat Kohli's old video explaining importance of Yo-Yo test goes viral after BCCI makes it mandatory: WATCH

Following the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) review meeting on Sunday, January 1, an old video of former India captain Virat Kohli resurfaced where he is seen explaining the importance of the ‘Yo-yo test’ to PM Narendra Modi. This comes on the back of the apex board deciding to make the fitness test mandatory once again for selection into the national team. 

While interacting with PM Modi in 2020 for the Fit India campaign, Kohli stated the importance to maintain the fitness standards as the national team’s levels were low as compared with the other cricketing nations. The then skipper further added that even the captain also will have to undergo such tests and upon failing, he will not make it to the selection.

When Virat Kohli spoke about the importance of fitness and Yo-Yo Test in daily lives.pic.twitter.com/9ZWwrrBzVU

— SUPRVIRAT (@ishant_tweetz) January 1, 2023

"This test was very important from a fitness point of view. If we talk about global fitness level, our fitness level is still low compared to other teams and we want to take it up, which is a basic requirement," Kohli had told PM Modi.

"I'm the one who goes out to run first and this is the condition that if I fail that I am also not available for selection. It is important to set that culture and it will lead to improvement in overall fitness levels," he added.

What is the Yo-Yo Test?

Speaking about the test, an athlete is made to run behind two markers that are kept 20 meters apart from each other. The exhausting fitness test is another form of the ‘beep test’ as the player taking it will have to reach the second marker before a beep is sounded and then come back to where he started before the third beep. Upon marking the return trip, it calls for the completion of a ‘shuttle’.

The Yo-Yo test in ultra slow-mo #INDvNZ - batch 2 : @ashwinravi99 @imVkohli @SDhawan25 @ajinkyarahane88 @MdShami11 pic.twitter.com/2UkBBtZcbn

— BCCI (@BCCI) September 18, 2016

Former India team’s strength and conditioning coach Shankar Basu introduced the test to the side in 2017. Kohli, who is known to keep insane fitness levels and has set a benchmark for youngsters to maintain fitness is one among the strong competitors who has recorded high scores in the test.