Jonty Rhodes backs BCCI’s new fitness test: Time trial test is apt

Shreyas Iyer (left) and Shikhar Dhawan during India’s practice session at Ahmedabad recently

Former South African cricketer Jonty Rhodes, one of the world's top-class fielders in his prime, has given the thumbs-up to the BCCI's new fitness tests for Team India players.

As part of its initiative to enhance fitness standards of players, the BCCI earlier this year introduced a new fitness test wherein fast bowlers are expected to cover a distance of 2km in eight minutes and 15 seconds, while all other players have to cover it in eight minutes and 30 seconds. Rhodes explained why the time trial is better than the yo-yo test conducted by BCCI wherein players have to shuttle across a 20-metre distance at increasing speeds.

Jonty Rhodes

"The time trial is more relevant to a cricket player's fitness levels as it tests not only their threshold zones, but speed too. Running the yo-yo test allows players to add seconds to their recovery, if they want, whereas the 2km time trial is a flat out race against yourself with no way to assist your recovery," Rhodes, 51, who recently collaborated with EuroSchool to promote sports and extra-curricular activities in schools, told mid-day.

In fact, the South African attributed Team India's recent Test victories against Australia and England to these elevated fitness levels. "Improved fitness levels bring with it a sense of self-confidence, as you have to overcome physical fatigue regularly when you are training as hard as this current Indian team. So, I believe their new levels of fitness definitely had a hand in their Test series wins," added Rhodes, who scored 2,532 runs at an average of over 35 in 52 Tests.

There is a direct relation between physical fitness and mental toughness, explained Rhodes. "Pushing yourself physically develops a great deal of emotional character, and if the team also trains hard together, they will often work well as a unit when the game is at a crucial stage, and requires an extraordinary effort from a group or an individual. Also, the better your endurance threshold, the lesser mistakes you will make as your on-field concentration does not waiver due to fatigue," concluded Rhodes, who played 245 ODIs for South Africa, scoring 5,935 runs at 35.11.