"He is as fit as Virat Kohli" - BCCI's strength and conditioning coach on Team India captain Rohit Sharma
Ankit Kaliyar, a strength and conditioning coach with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), recently stated that Team India skipper Rohit Sharma is as fit as Virat Kohli.
Kaliyar suggested that while Rohit has a "bulky" frame, it doesn't mean that he is not fit enough. He also mentioned that the India skipper also successfully clears the Yo-Yo test consistently.
During a conversation with TOI, Kaliyar said:
"Rohit Sharma is a fit player. He has good fitness. He looks a bit bulky but he always passes the Yo-Yo test. He is as fit as Virat Kohli. He looks like he is bulky but we have seen him on the field. His agility and mobility is amazing. He is among the fittest cricketers."
Ankit Kaliyar further spoke about how Shubman Gill has drawn inspiration from Virat Kohli in terms of fitness. Predicting a bright future for the talented youngster, he added:
"Shubman (Gill) is very fit. Not just fit, he is a very skillful player. There is no doubt that Shubman is inspired by Virat bhai. Be it batting, fitness, or skill, Shubman is following Virat bhai. I am sure Shubman will be doing well for the country in the coming years."
Kaliyar has worked as a strength and conditioning coach with several domestic teams and has also closely monitored several Team India stars.
"He's the fittest athlete in India and throughout the world" - Ankit Kaliyar on Virat Kohli
Ankit Kaliyar also opened up about Virat Kohli's fitness, opining that the star batter is arguably the fittest cricketer across the globe.
He pointed out that the former India captain religiously follows a very strict routine, irrespective of the schedule, adding:
"Virat Kohli is the fittest player in the Indian team and the world. The reason behind that is that he’s following a strict schedule. Whether he’s playing or not, he follows or takes care of his nutrition, training, supplementation, and conditioning part really well. He is very religious about his regime and routine. He’s the fittest athlete in India and throughout the world."
Lauding Virat Kohli for making fitness an integral part of Indian cricket during his captaincy tenure, Ankit Kaliyar said:
"Virat is a leading example when it comes to fitness. He has created a culture of fitness in the team. When your top player is so fit, then you become an example for others. He injects confidence in others. When he was the captain, he ensured everyone remained fit."
"Fitness was his top parameter in the team," he added. "He has created that culture and discipline in the team. That atmosphere was created by Virat bhai and it’s a commendable thing. He is the reason why all the Indian players are so fit."
Ahead of the 2023 Asia Cup, Kohli shared an Instagram story, revealing his Yo-Yo Test score. He achieved a 17.2 score, successfully clearing the 17.1 benchmark.