The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reportedly introduced the ‘Bronco Test’ — a new rugby-origin fitness and endurance drill for team India players.
The news has drawn mixed reactions with former player Manoj Tiwary terming it a deliberate attempt to keep players like Rohit Sharma out of the team, while South Africa’s legend AB de Villiers calling it “one of the worst” (test).
The new test was introduced by team India’s strength & conditioning coach Adrian le Roux, which head coach Gautam Gambhir endorsed.
The new drill now joins the established Yo-Yo Test and 2-kilometre time trial.
What is a Bronco Test:
The Bronco Test demands five continuous shuttle-run sets covering 20 meter, 40 meter, and 60 meter distances, which totals to 1,200 meters, without any rest.
To make things more interesting, the drill should be completed within six minutes, making it more demanding than intermittent tests like the Yo-Yo.
How it’s done:
Four points would be marked on a field.
1 – Starting point
2 – 20 meter point
3 – 40 meter point
4 – 60 meter point
Players start at first point and sprint to the 60 meter point (to and fro) then from starting to 40 mt point (to and fro) and then from starting to 20 mt point (to and fro). Each player must repeat such sets ‘five’ times and all without any kind of rest.
The move is seen as an attempt to enhance and improve players’ fitness, especially that of fast bowlers.