The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Sunday (January 1st) held the review meeting of Indian men’s cricket team in Mumbai, which was attended by a host of BCCI President Roger Binny, Secretary Jay Shah, captain Rohit Sharma, head coach Rahul Dravid, Head of Cricket at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) VVS Laxman and Chairman of Senior Selection Committee Chetan Sharma.
Here are the key points discussed by the Indian cricket’s governing body in the meeting:
20 Players Shortlisted for ODI World Cup
In one of the major developments, the BCCI have shortlisted a total of 20 players for the quadrennial event. The board will closely monitor these players, who will be rotated accordingly in order to prepare them for the showpiece tournament.
The players might even have to sit out for a few IPL matches. BCCI stated: “Keeping in mind the Men’s FTP and preparations for ICC CWC 2023, the NCA will work in tandem with the IPL Franchise to monitor the targeted Indian players participating in the IPL 2023.”
Yo-Yo Test Returns
After the meeting, the board decided to reintroduce the Yo-Yo fitness test in the eligibility criteria for selection in the Indian cricket team. Yo-Yo test is an endurance fitness test that involves running between markers placed 20 metres apart at increasing speeds. The test was introduced when Virat Kohli had the reins of the Indian cricket team initially had a qualifying score of 16.1 and was later increased to 16.5.
BCCI to Introduce Dexa
Besides the Yo-Yo test, Dexa (bone scan test) has also been made part of the selection criteria. The Dexa test is said to help trainers measure body fat percentage, lean muscle mass, water content, and bone density of the players. Also, this test talks about the possibility of any kind of fracture in the bone even before it develops. The thickness of bones is also one of the important factors in DEXA scans.
Workload management and NCA
One key focus point discussed in the meeting was to manage the Indian players’ workload management, keeping in mind the crucial International competitions coming in 2023.
According to the recommendations made in the meeting, “the NCA will work in tandem with the IPL Franchises to monitor the targeted Indian players participating in the IPL 2023”.
The decision holds importance for the key players, who have a history of sustaining injuries and sitting out for the International games. The NCA and the franchises will likely monitor which World Cup bound players can be given rest from IPL games if needed, so that they don’t get overcooked or injured.
