BCCI conduct review meeting in Mumbai to address recent slump; Yo-Yo Test set to be part of selection criteria
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) conducted a review meeting to address the team's sub-par performances of late, including the semi-final exit from the T20 World Cup 2022 as well as the ODI series loss against Bangladesh.
The meeting, conducted in Mumbai, was attended by BCCI president Roger Binny, BCCI secretary Jay Shah, Team India captain Rohit Sharma, head coach Rahul Dravid, and chairman of the selection committee Chetan Sharma, as well as India 'A' coach VVS Laxman.
Issues ranging from the availability of players to the fitness parameters were raised during the meeting. Workload management while working through the strenuous cricketing calendar has been a difficult task with a constant barrage of injuries not helping Team India's case.
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Binny, who took over the BCCI presidency from Sourav Ganguly, emphasized the need for domestic cricket to return to the fore. He also stressed on dwelling deeper into the reasons behind the constant injury concerns, especially among the fast bowlers.
A statement released by the BCCI following the meeting imparted key takeaways, which read:
"The emerging players will have to play a substantial domestic season to be eligible for selection to the national team. The Yo-Yo Test and Dexa will now be part of selection criteria and implemented in the customized roadmaps of the central pool of players."
"Keeping in mind the Men’s FTP and preparations for ICC CWC 2023, the NCA will work in tandem with the IPL Franchisee to monitor the targeted Indian players participating in the IPL 2023."
All of the aforementioned aspects were already raised in the aftermath of Team India's lukewarm 2022, where they failed to win any multinational event.
The latest mandate will now reportedly require players to add credible domestic experience under their belt as well, meaning that a solitary impressive Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign might not prove to be enough to warrant a national team call-up.
Fitness coaches at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) will also work closely with the IPL franchises to monitor the workload of the players who are in the scheme of things.
The infamous Yo-Yo test also features amongst the takeaways from the meeting. The fitness test, which was introduced during the regime of Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri, will now be paramount in terms of being eligible to make it into the national squad.
A while back, the BCCI hesitated to make the test harder to protect the mental health of players. However, the grueling procedure, which also includes a two-kilometer run, is set to be completed within an eight-minute timeframe.
On the other hand, DEXA (Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) will also be used to check the bone density of players. This could prove to be helpful in determining if players are susceptible to any potential fractures due to low bone density.
BCCI identifies and shortlists 20 players for the 2023 ODI World Cup
A report from Cricbuzz claims that a group of 20 players have been identified by the management, who will be rotated and tested during the build-up to the ODI World Cup in late 2023 on home soil.
At a review meeting with the brain thrust of Indian cricket, BCCI has decided that a set of 20 shortlisted players will be rotated so that proper preparation is ensured before the 2023 World Cup, to be held in India.
@vijaymirror's report ⏬
cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/1…
Early identification of the squad provides clarity and allows a select group of players to compete together and be familiar with each other in time for the tournament.
It also avoids late selection calls or late-reintroduction of players into the squad, leaving injury as the only avenue for replacement.
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