Indian pacer injured on the brink of Asia Cup 2025, fitness certificate halted by CoE

With the Asia Cup 2025 just around the corner, the Indian cricket team has crossed its first big hurdle off the field. Over the weekend, all Indian players successfully cleared the mandatory pre-season tests at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru ahead of the Asia Cup 2025.

Alongside the traditional Yo-Yo test, which has become the ultimate benchmark of fitness in Indian cricket since the Virat Kohli era, players were also put through a DXA scan to check their physical readiness in detail. The Yo-Yo test pushed players to their limits.

Indian players clear tough fitness tests at CoE ahead of Asia Cup 2025

They have to sprint back and forth between two cones set 20 meters apart while keeping pace with beeps that get faster with each level. It is a brutal challenge of stamina and recovery to check a player’s endurance levels for the international standards.

SHORTS

View More

Your daily dose of cricket!

Loading...

Read Also: Watch- Sanju Samson smashes sensational 'No-Look' six, Gautam Gambhir sent a direct message

On the other hand, a DXA scan is an advanced procedure that uses low-dose X-rays to map bone density, lean muscle, and body fat. Apart from these tests, the Indian players underwent several other tests, and they also cleared them at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru.

However, the Karnataka and Punjab Kings (PBKS) fast bowler Vijaykumar Vyshak failed to clear the tests at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE). The South Zone has been forced to make another unexpected change just before the Duleep Trophy 2025 semifinals.

Vijaykumar Vyshak ruled out of Duleep Trophy Semi-Final

Vijaykumar Vyshak has failed to get clearance from the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence due to injury concerns. This ruled the Karnataka pacer out of the ongoing Duleep Trophy 2025. The selectors have drafted in another Karnataka seamer, V. Kaushik, as a replacement for Vyshak in the squad.

V Kaushik recently made the move to Goa for the upcoming domestic season. For Vyshak, the setback comes at a crucial time, while Kaushik now gets an unexpected golden opportunity to shine in the red-ball tournament ahead of the busy season.

Read Also: Rinku Singh openly credits Abhishek Nayar!! Claims no talk happened between him and Gautam Gambhir

A Times of India journalist posted on his X (formerly Twitter): “Duleep Trophy update: There is one more change in the South Zone team. Karnataka seamer Vijaykumar Vyshak has not been cleared by the BCCI's CoE due to injury and has been replaced by fellow Karnataka seamer V. Kaushik, who has moved to Goa for the upcoming season!”

Duleep Trophy update: There is one more change in the South Zone team, Karanataka seamer Vijaykumar Vyshak has not been cleared by the BCCI's CoE due to injury, and has been replaced by fellow Karnataka seamer V Kaushik,.who has moved to Goa fr the upcoming season! https://t.co/4KuWTgnL3S

— Gaurav Gupta (@toi_gauravG) September 1, 2025

Here’s the updated South Zone Squad for the Duleep Trophy 2025 Semifinal:

Mohammed Azharuddeen (C), Tanmay Agarwal, Devdutt Padikkal, Mohit Kale, Salman Nizar, Narayan Jagadeesan, Tripurana Vijay, Tanay Thyagarajan, V Kaushik, Nidheesh MD, Ricky Bhui, Basil NP, Gurjapneet Singh, Snehal Kauthankar, Ankit Sharma, and Shaikh Rasheed. Standbys: Mohit Redkar, R. Smaran, Edhen Apple Tom, and Andre Siddarth.

Well, the stage is set for the Duleep Trophy 2025 semi-finals. North Zone will face South Zone at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence Ground 1 in the first semifinal, while West Zone and Central Zone will battle it out in the second semifinal at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence Ground 2.

Fans hoping to watch the action live will be disappointed, as the semi-final matches will not be streamed. Only the Duleep Trophy 2025 final is expected to be available for live streaming. However, the live scorecards for both semi-finals will be updated on the BCCI’s official website.