Yo-Yo Test after Squad Selection was One-Off, Insists BCCI GM Saba Karim

While India is set to visit Ireland and England in the coming days, it is safe to say the upcoming tours are far from the spotlight. Instead, it is the yo-yo test that is gathering all the limelight and for all the wrong reasons. The reason behind it is players getting dropped from the squad after being picked initially.

The BCCI had announced the squads before conducting the mandatory fitness test. The board had to do it because of the Indian Premier League. And as a result, they had to axe players later which attracted widespread criticism.

As many as three big names suffered the cruel fate. 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 crestfallen due to the test. They 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.

And now BCCI general manager, Saba Karim has insisted the yo-yo test getting conducted after the squad selection was a ‘one-off’.

He said the IPL and the necessity to pick the limited-overs squads early because of logistical needs, forced the board to conduct the test after the squad selection.

“It’s (Yo-Yo test) always conducted before team selection. This time the change happened because of the IPL. We have to pick the teams early because of the logistical reasons, so we couldn’t drag out players during the IPL and made them go through fitness tests. That’s why we conducted it after the IPL was over. And all the players were given enough time to prepare for that,” Karim told The Indian Express.

“Earlier, if you see, in the case of Suresh Raina and Yuvraj Singh, the fitness tests were conducted before the team selection. It always happened like that in the past. This time, the moment the teams were announced, whether that was the India A side or Team India, the players knew that they had to undergo fitness tests. So they had enough time to prepare. That is why so many of them prepared well and got through,” he added.