'Fitness helps but you need to perform as a batsman': Mohammad Azharuddin on the Yo-Yo Test
Former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin has stated that the primary focus of players should be to perform well on the field.
In an exclusive chat with Indranil Basu on the Sportskeeda Cricket page on Facebook, Azharuddin expressed his satisfaction at seeing better fitness standards in the Indian team recently.
However, he cautioned that good fitness levels shouldn't be construed as a parameter to judge if a player will be successful in the field.
According to the former captain, players needed to perform well on the field for their team to cement their place in the squad, and not just rest on their laurels after excelling in fitness tests like the Yo-Yo Test.
"Sometimes you need to win games as well. Game is important but fitness is important as well. Everybody has so many good trainers, masseuse and physios who are willing to help you out. But at the end of the day, however fit you maybe, and no matter matter how outstanding athlete you are, you need to perform on the field. Fitness helps but if you don't perform well as a batsman and still might be fitter than anyone else, it might not serve the purpose. There are so many good runners but are not actually good fielders."
Mohammad Azharuddin reiterated Kapil Dev's words
Mohammad Azharuddin reiterated World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev's words that the Yo-Yo Test isn't the ultimate way to judge a player.
Dev had stated a couple of years ago how fitness tests weren't a true reflection of a player's capability, and selecting them on just the basis of good fitness wasn't the way to go forward.
"A bowler can perhaps clear the Yo-Yo test easily than a batsman. But this isn't the ultimate test to judge a player. It comes down to your performances on the field and cricketers should be judged only on the basis of their on-field performances."