Last Updated: August 6, 2026 02:05 PM
A quiet internal debate has reportedly surfaced within Indian cricket’s fitness setup. Questions are being asked about how standards are actually being applied. This comes amid growing worry over recent player injuries and mobility issues. Here’s what has reportedly been raised behind the scenes lately.
BCCI Raises Concerns Over Fitness Standards
The BCCI reportedly raised concerns over fitness standards applied to senior team members. Secretary Devajit Saikia reportedly questioned team physio Kamlesh Jain following recent injuries.
Those injuries have repeatedly left India missing several key players in matches. The BCCI has reportedly told Jain to flag any fitness shortfalls immediately. This applies regardless of a player’s status or seniority within the squad.
According to a Times of India report, testing parameters allegedly varied between players. Reports suggest comfortable targets given to senior players helped them clear fitness tests easily. The Bronco test recently replaced the Yo-Yo test as India’s main benchmark.
This change followed the arrival of conditioning coach Adrian Lereoux at the setup. A BCCI source claimed Indian players weren’t used to the new Bronco test.
“The Indian players are not used to the Bronco test,” a BCCI source said. “Over the last year, the CoE had set different base parameters for players. It has now emerged that certain senior players were given much comfortable targets to meet to clear fitness tests.”
“The CoE staff had also cleared players like Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy to make sure it was delivering players according to team management’s needs,” the source added.
That unfamiliarity may have influenced how benchmarks were initially established there. The source also alleged different base parameters were used across the previous year.
Other Allegations Raised in the Report
The report further alleged that some players were cleared to suit team plans. Names like Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy were mentioned in that context. It’s worth noting these remain reported allegations, not officially confirmed policy decisions.
Concerns have also emerged around player mobility and overall physical conditioning lately. Some senior batters reportedly struggled with running pace after long spells at the crease.
Why This Debate Matters Right Now
This entire issue comes amid India’s recurring injury problems across recent series. Naturally, that has increased scrutiny of fitness assessment and support systems overall.
The BCCI raises concerns partly because consistent standards matter for long-term player health. Fair and equal testing could help identify genuine risks before they become serious injuries.
The comfortable targets given to senior players allegation remains one of the report’s key claims. For now, these claims remain unconfirmed, and official clarification from the BCCI is awaited.
