What is Yo Yo test in Cricket – Highest Yo Yo test Score in Cricket History – The Yo-Yo Test, also known as the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test, is a fitness test used in various sports, including cricket, to assess an athlete’s aerobic endurance and stamina.
It involves repeated shuttle runs over a set distance with progressively shorter recovery periods. The test is designed to simulate the demands of stop-and-go sports, where athletes need to maintain a high level of performance despite frequent changes in intensity.
In cricket, the Yo-Yo Test has gained significant popularity as a measure of a player’s fitness and endurance. It is used by many cricket teams, including national teams and franchises in various cricket leagues, to gauge a player’s ability to handle the physical demands of the game.
Cricket matches can be lengthy and physically demanding, so having good aerobic fitness is crucial to sustain performance over the course of a match.
During the Yo-Yo Test, players are required to run back and forth between two markers placed a certain distance apart. The distance between the markers gradually decreases, and the time allotted for each shuttle run also decreases. Players need to complete each shuttle run before the audio signal sounds, indicating the next run.
The test continues with shorter and shorter recovery periods between runs, making it progressively more challenging as it goes on. The level achieved by a player is usually indicated by the distance they reach or the speed they maintain before they can no longer keep up with the pace.
The Yo-Yo Test is often used as a tool for selection and monitoring of players, as well as for setting fitness benchmarks. Players with higher levels on the Yo-Yo Test are generally considered to have better aerobic fitness, which can positively impact their performance during long and demanding cricket matches.
Test Structure:
The Yo-Yo Test involves a series of shuttle runs, also known as “shuttles,” back and forth between two markers. The test starts at a certain speed, and as the test progresses, the speed increases, making it more challenging. The time allotted for each shuttle run decreases, giving players less time to cover the same distance.
Parameters:
- Distance:
- The distance covered during each shuttle run is usually 20 meters. However, the exact distance might vary based on the version of the test being conducted.
- Speed: The speed at which players need to complete each shuttle run increases with each level of the test. The increase in speed between levels is usually called a “speed increment.”
- Recovery Period: The time players have to complete each shuttle run also decreases with each level, meaning they have less time to recover between runs.
Testing Process:
- Players start at one marker and need to run to the other marker before the audio signal sounds. They then turn and run back to the starting marker before the next audio signal. This constitutes one shuttle.
- As the test progresses, the speed at which the shuttle runs need to be completed increases. Players need to keep up with the pace and complete each shuttle run before the audio signal.
- Players are allowed a certain amount of time to recover between each shuttle run. This recovery time decreases with each level of the test.
- The test continues until a player can no longer keep up with the pace and fails to complete a shuttle run before the audio signal. The level at which they stop is usually recorded as their Yo-Yo Test level.
Significance in Cricket:
Cricket is a sport that requires a combination of different physical attributes, including strength, agility, and endurance. While strength and skill are crucial, endurance is essential, especially in formats like Test cricket and one-day internationals (ODIs), where matches can last for extended periods.
The Yo-Yo Test assesses a player’s aerobic fitness, which is their ability to maintain a high level of physical activity over an extended period.
Players with better aerobic fitness are less likely to experience fatigue during long matches and are more capable of performing consistently throughout the game.
National cricket teams and franchises use the Yo-Yo Test as a fitness benchmark during player selection. Players are expected to achieve a certain level on the test to demonstrate their fitness and readiness for high-level cricket.
It’s worth noting that the required Yo-Yo Test level can vary between teams and tournaments.
In essence, the Yo-Yo Test is a valuable tool for cricket teams to assess and enhance their players’ endurance, ensuring they can perform at their best during the demanding and often prolonged matches in various cricket formats.
India has been holding a secret training camp in Alur in anticipation of the 2019 Asia Cup. Regular fitness tests are an important element of the squad’s preparation for the upcoming continental championship, which kicks off on August 30. The yo-yo test stands out among the numerous evaluations; youthful starter Shubman Gill led the team with a remarkable score of 18.7.
Earlier this year, Virat Kohli (L) and Shubman Gill (R) played in an ODI series. (AP)
All cricketers who have attempted the yo-yo test have achieved a score greater than 16.5; this is evidence of their commitment to being in peak physical condition. A respectable 17.2 was also put on the Instagram story of former Indian skipper Virat Kohli earlier this week.
All players except for Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson (a reserve member for the Asia Cup), and KL Rahul have completed their fitness evaluations.
Since the yo-yo test evaluates aerobic endurance fitness, your score may change depending on how recently you last played and how strenuously you have been working out in the preceding week.
Currently, Gill has the highest score (18.7). Under the condition of anonymity, a BCCI source familiar with the situation informed PTI that most players had scored between 16.5 and 18.
Indian Express reported on Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is upset with Virat Kohli since he posted the results of his yo-yo fitness test on Instagram.
In response to the widespread interest in Kohli’s post, the Indian cricket team’s management issued strict new guidelines, including a ban on players sharing their Yo-Yo test results.
The report claims that the order was given orally to all of the players at the intensive fitness and preparation camp taking place at Alur in Bengaluru.
World Cup preparations hinge on Asia Cup
India’s World Cup preparations will be greatly aided by their performance in the upcoming Asia Cup, which begins on September 2 against India’s bitter foe, Pakistan. These two squads might potentially meet three times in the competition. India will play Australia in three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) after the Asia Cup and before the flagship global competition, which they will begin against Australia on October 8.
