Former India cricketer Manoj Tiwary has made a striking claim about the introduction of the Bronco Test in Indian cricket, suggesting it could be aimed at keeping Rohit Sharma out of the team. The new fitness benchmark, implemented under India’s strength and conditioning coach Adrian Le Roux, adds to the existing Yo-Yo and 2-kilometre time trial tests that players must meet. Speaking to Crictracker, Tiwary raised questions about the timing and purpose of the test, particularly as India prepares for a transitional phase ahead of the 2027 World Cup. “I think it will be very difficult to keep Virat Kohli out of the plans for the 2027 World Cup, but I have doubts about Rohit Sharma. I believe the Bronco Test has been introduced for players like him. It seems designed to make it difficult for some senior players to stay in the team,” Tiwary said.
Tiwary also highlighted that Rohit could struggle to re-enter the ODI setup if his fitness standards are not up to the mark. He questioned why the test was introduced at this particular time rather than at the start of the new head coach’s tenure. “Why now? Who decided to bring in the Bronco Test? It is hard to say, but the observation is that players like Rohit will find it challenging if they do not work hard on their fitness,” he added. Drawing parallels with past phases in Indian cricket, Tiwary said similar fitness benchmarks have previously sidelined senior players. “When legends like Gambhir, Sehwag, and Yuvraj were performing well, the Yo-Yo Test was introduced after the 2011 World Cup. Fitness standards have often been used to shape team selection,” he explained. The Bronco Test is an endurance-focused fitness challenge commonly used in sports like rugby. Unlike the Yo-Yo Test, which allows short recovery breaks, the Bronco Test requires players to complete continuous shuttle runs of 20 metres, 40 metres, and 60 metres, repeated five times without a pause, covering a total of 1,200 metres. Top-level Indian cricketers are expected to complete it in around six minutes. For context, the Yo-Yo Test is a 20-metre shuttle run with increasing speed and ten-second recovery intervals, with a minimum pass mark of 17.1. The 2-kilometre time trial requires fast bowlers to finish in 8 minutes 15 seconds and batters, spinners, and wicketkeepers in 8 minutes 30 seconds. The decision to implement the Bronco Test reportedly followed concerns over endurance levels during India’s recent five-Test tour of England. Among the fast bowlers, only Mohammed Siraj managed to play all five matches, highlighting potential gaps in fitness.
