Haryana all-rounder Rahul Tewatia has failed the fitness Tests ahead of the five-match T20I series against England, as per reports of the Telegraph. Not only Tewatia, but it has been reported that even spinner Varun Chakravarthy has also failed the mandated fitness tests.
Rahul Tewatia had been handed his maiden India call-up after his excellent performances for the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL 2020 and for Haryana in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy. Tewatia came into the limelight for hitting 6 sixes in 8 balls in his 53*, against Punjab Kings in an IPL 2020 match in Sharjah, taking Royals to an unexpected victory.
Rahul Tewatia (Image Credit: Twitter)
The all-rounder delivered both with the bat and ball for the Rajasthan Royals and earned his maiden call-up to the national team for the upcoming T20I series against England. He scored 255 runs at an average of 42.50, while his strike rate read 140. He also picked 10 wickets with his leg-spinners at an impressive economy of 7.08.
Rahul Tewatia And Varun Chakravarthy Scored Well Below The Fitness Benchmark: Reports
As per the Telegraph reports, Rahul Tewatia, along with Varun Chakravarthy, scored well below the fitness benchmark expected from national team players. A player needs to either score 17:1 in the Yo-Yo test or cover 2km in 8.3 minutes.
Varun Chakravarthy. Image credit- BCCI/IPL
The BCCI has made it essential for one of the parameters to be cleared for players to become eligible to play for India. This is due to an increased focus on fitness as India looks ahead to a jam-packed calendar starting from 2021.
However, despite failing to clear the fitness tests in their first attempt, both Tewatia and Chakravarthy will receive another chance to prove their fitness. A source clarified that it is not a concern if a player failed to meet the parameter in their first attempt.
“It has been introduced to push fitness standards and maintain endurance. He will get more than one chance,” a source said to The Telegraph.
The BCCI selection committee will take a final call on their inclusions in the Indian team after the National Cricket Academy (NCA) informed them about the latest developments. The five-match T20I series against England begins from March 12 onwards and all matches will be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Motera, Ahmedabad.
