Bronco Test Introduced to Elevate Fitness Standards for Indian Cricketers

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is incorporating the rugby-inspired Bronco Test to ensure that elite Indian cricketers uphold superior fitness levels and boost their aerobic capacity. This test complements the existing Yo-Yo Test and 2-kilometre time trial already utilized for fitness evaluations.

Reports indicate that the concept was proposed by the squad’s strength and conditioning coach, Adrian le Roux, who believes that pace bowlers should prioritize accumulating more running mileage rather than overemphasizing gym workouts.

Head coach Gautam Gambhir has voiced his support for the initiative.

This determination arises after India’s recent series in England, where the fitness of certain fast bowlers was deemed insufficient. Only Mohammed Siraj participated in all matches of the series.

Several prominent players have already undertaken the Bronco Test at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence located in Bengaluru.

In the Bronco Test, a player must complete shuttle sprints of 20m, 40m, and 60m to form a single set. The complete assessment comprises five sets – equating to 1,200 meters – which must be performed without any pause.

Indian athletes are expected to conclude the test in under six minutes.

Le Roux, who rejoined the Indian team as the strength and conditioning coach this past June, previously held the same position from 2002 to 2003. Furthermore, he has collaborated with Cricket South Africa and IPL teams such as Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings.

A source within the BCCI stated, “The Bronco Test has been implemented at the Centre of Excellence. Several contracted players from India have visited Bengaluru to participate in the test, ensuring defined fitness benchmarks. It was also observed that Indian cricketers, especially the fast bowlers, were not engaging in sufficient running and were dedicating too much time to gym activities. The players have been instructed to increase their running volume.”

By way of comparison, the 2-km time trial mandates that fast bowlers finish the distance within 8 minutes and 15 seconds, while batsmen, wicketkeepers, and spinners have a benchmark of 8 minutes and 30 seconds.

The Yo-Yo Test assesses endurance via shuttle sprints across 20m markers at progressively higher speeds; the minimum threshold for the Indian team is established at 17.1.