Lakshmipathy Balaji Would Have Passed Yo-Yo Test: Mohammad Kaif

Yo-Yo Test have been the benchmark to test the fitness of players in the Indian cricket team. It has become a selection standard for the national team in the recent years. While it tests the fitness of the players to produce help the push for the best of their limits the yo-yo test has also seen many players losing their chance in the side.

The yo-yo test begins with a player shuttling across two cones from point A to B. The test has been divided into different rounds which requires different level of speeds from the players. According to a report in espncricinfo, a player starts at speed level 5, which consists of one shuttle. The next speed level, which is 9, also consists of one shuttle. Speed level 11, the next step up, has two shuttles, while level 12 has three and level 13 four. There are eight shuttles per level from 14 upwards. Level 23 is the highest speed level in a yo-yo test, but no one has come close to getting there yet. Each shuttle covers a distance of 40 metres, and the accumulated distance is an aggregate of distance covered at every speed level.

Mohammad Kaif names players from his time who would pass fitness test

Mohammad Kaif was one the finest fielders in his times. His fielding efforts inside the circle and point saved India plenty of runs and did them a world of good. Kaif, however, did not have to go through yo-yo test during his times. He reckoned apart from him, Yuvraj Singh and Lakshmipathy Balaji would have passed the yo-yo test.

“Fitness is very important for cricketers. If we did the Yo-Ye test during our time, Balaji and I could have fulfilled that criteria, even Yuvraj Singh was good. But, I do not think that others would have passed the Yo-Yo test,” Kaif said during a live Helo Session on Thursday.

Balaji played eight Tests and 30 ODIs for the national team. The ex-fast bowler picked up 27 wickets in the longest format and 34 in the ODI format. He is currently the bowling coach of Chennai Super Kings.