The Indian cricket team will now include the Bronco Test in their fitness program on the recommendation of their new strength and conditioning coach, Adrian le Roux. According to reports, Le Roux favors pacers covering longer distances through running instead of relying heavily on gym-based training, a view that head coach Gautam Gambhir also supports.
Currently, the players already undergo the Yo-Yo Test and a 2-km time trial as part of their fitness assessment routine.
What is Bronco Test?
The Bronco Test involves shuttle runs where a player must sprint distances of 20m, 40m, and 60m in sequence, with each complete round counted as one set.
Player Requirement
Players are required to complete five sets, covering about 1200 meters in six minutes without a break. The purpose of this test is to set a clear benchmark for the fitness and conditioning standards that players must maintain going forward.
According to a report in The Indian Express, several BCCI-contracted players have traveled to the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru to take the Bronco Test, with the focus being on increasing players’ running workload, especially for fast bowlers, rather than emphasizing gym training.
Yo-Yo Test And Time Trial
The current Yo-Yo Test requires players to run back and forth between two cones set 20 meters apart, at gradually increasing speeds, with a 10-second rest after every 40 meters. For the Indian team, the minimum qualifying score is 17.1.
In the 2-km time trial, fast bowlers must complete the distance in 8 minutes and 15 seconds, while wicketkeepers and batters are given an additional 15 seconds, making their limit 8 minutes and 30 seconds. Adrian le Roux, who rejoined the Indian team in June for his second stint as fitness and conditioning coach, had previously worked with the side between 2002 and 2003.
Since then, he has also served in similar roles with South Africa’s national team as well as IPL franchises Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings.
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