Players Should be Given Second Chance if They Fail the Yo Yo Test - Sandeep Patil

Former India batsman and chief selector, Sandeep Patil feels player failing the mandatory yo-yo test should be given two chances to prove their fitness.

From last year, the BCCI has made it mandatory for the players to clear the fitness test to get into the team.

And while there is no doubt that it has raised the fitness quotient of the team, many deserving players have missed their spots in the team for the team. In fact, in the last one month, as many as three top players were dropped after they failed the yo-yo test.

The three players are – Mohammed Shami, Sanju Samson and Ambati Rayudu. Shami had to face the axe from the Test squad for the one-off Test against Afghanistan.

On the other hand, Samson and Rayudu lost their places in the India A and senior ODI squads, respectively. Both Samson and Rayudu would have felt hard done by due to the test. The duo had earned the call after their brilliant performances in the IPL.

Playing for Rajasthan Royals (RR) this season, Samson amassed 491 runs at an average of over 31 and a strike-rate of almost 138. Before that, he had a brilliant outing in the premium domestic competition Ranji Trophy. Samson scored 627 runs in seven games with the help of two tons and three fifties. He had also scored a century against the visiting Sri Lanka side last year, in a warm-up match.

On the other hand, Rayudu enjoyed his most successful IPL season with the bat so far. He played an integral role in Chennai Super Kings’ title-winning run in the IPL this year.

Among the top-five run-scorers, this season was the best IPL Rayudu had, scoring 602 runs at a strike rate of 149.75 including one century.

However, both the players had to endure heartbreak after failing the yo-yo test. Other players in the respective teams soon replaced them. While Ishan Kishan replaced Samson, Suresh Raina replaced Rayudu.

And Patil feels the players should be given a second chance to prove their fitness.

“Like in Test cricket, where a player is given two innings to prove himself, even in the case of Yo-Yo tests, he should be given two chances. If a player isn’t able to clear the test, give him another crack at it a few hours later. 

Or the next day. There could be many reasons why|Rayudu failed the Yo-Yo test that day. A player may not be mentally there. You’re talking about the career of a player. He has performed well for the whole year in domestic cricket. And in half-an-hour, you’ll decide whether he’d go on the tour or not. You don’t drop players like this,” he told The Times of India.