Bengaluru: BCCI scrutinises fitness protocols after player cleared despite being overweight

By Rohan Gupta — 6 August 2026 — 3 min read

Fitness Monitoring Under Scrutiny

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is reportedly re-evaluating its player fitness monitoring system, introducing more stringent benchmarks following concerns raised about pacer Harshit Rana’s fitness. Rana was reportedly found to be four kilograms overweight after being cleared for selection for a tour to England, which has prompted the board to implement stricter and more uniform fitness standards.

Sources indicate that the Indian team management flagged Rana’s weight issue. He was reportedly 97 kg when initially cleared for the UK tour, despite returning from a knee injury. The Centre of Excellence (CoE) staff has since informed him that his weight should not exceed 96 kg, and he is currently at 94 kg, with clearance expected in the coming week.

This situation has brought into question the coordination between the Indian team’s medical staff and the CoE in assessing player fitness. The concerns arise amidst a series of injuries to key players, including Jasprit Bumrah and Nitish Kumar Reddy, suggesting a struggle for the medical teams to work in sync.

New Benchmarks and Inconsistencies

The BCCI has introduced new fitness benchmarks, including a fixed standard for the Bronco Test. This test replaced the Yo-Yo Test as the primary fitness assessment after Adrian Le Roux was appointed as India’s strength and conditioning coach last year. Initially, there was no fixed benchmark for the Bronco Test, leading to different standards being applied to various players.

The new standard for the Bronco Test is reportedly set between 5 minutes 15 seconds and 5 minutes 20 seconds for players to be considered fit for selection. Additionally, contracted Indian cricketers will now be required to complete a 2 km sprint within 9 to 10 minutes.

Reports suggest inconsistencies in past fitness assessments, with some senior players allegedly given more lenient targets. It was also claimed that the CoE staff cleared players like Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy to meet the team management’s requirements. Furthermore, several regular Indian players were reportedly not fully briefed on the new fitness regime, with Mohammed Siraj reportedly surprised when asked to undergo the Bronco Test at the CoE before the team’s departure for a tour to Sri Lanka.

Impact on Player Availability

The ongoing fitness issues have led to several top Indian cricketers being unavailable for the upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka, which is scheduled to begin in Galle on August 15. Players such as Jasprit Bumrah, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, and Harshit Rana are among those currently sidelined.

Batter Sai Sudharsan is also at the CoE in Bengaluru, dealing with a toe niggle. Questions have been raised regarding the injury management and recovery processes for Indian cricketers, particularly concerning Harshit Rana’s fitness clearance. Rana had sustained a knee injury in a warm-up match before the T20 World Cup 2026 earlier in the year and underwent knee surgery, missing the entire IPL 2026 season.

He was reportedly fast-tracked back into the Team India squad for an ODI series against Afghanistan after his surgery in June, despite still being considered overweight. The India vs Sri Lanka series will mark Shubman Gill’s side’s first campaign in the WTC 2025-27 calendar this year.

The BCCI secretary, Devajit Saikia, has reportedly questioned new Team India physio Kamlesh Jain regarding the injuries and declining fitness standards. Rana was sent back to the CoE in Bengaluru from the England tour not due to an injury, but reportedly due to severe cramps and being four kilograms overweight.

The BCCI medical team has rolled out a benchmark of 5.15-5.20 minutes to complete the Bronco Test.

Source: m.rediff.com