Indian hockey midfielder Hardik Singh has made a bold claim that hockey players consistently outperform Indian cricketers in the Yo-Yo Test. The Yo-Yo Test is a widely used fitness benchmark in sports. However, it was made famous when BCCI made it a benchmark for Indian players to get selected in the national setup. While Virat Kohli, the former Indian cricket captain, is often hailed as one of the fittest athletes in the country, Hardik’s huge statement raises eyebrows.
Virat Kohli not the fittest?
Hardik revealed that his teammates and he routinely achieved Yo-Yo Test scores in the mid-20s, significantly surpassing the scores typically attributed to Indian cricketers. “In cricket, if anyone is scoring 19 or 20 on the Yo-Yo Test, people call it the fittest,” the Indian hockey star stated during a recent podcast interview. “But Sreejesh, our goalkeeper, scores 21.“
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While the comparison between cricketers and hockey players might seem surprising given the perceived physical demands of each sport, Hardik’s claims absolutely spark a debate. It’s worth noting that other Indian athletes, such as badminton player Lakshya Sen, have also been reported to have higher Yo-Yo Test scores than Kohli.
The Yo-Yo Test, which measures endurance and speed, has gained prominence in India, particularly after cricketers began using it as a selection criterion. Hardik’s comments suggest that hockey players have quietly been setting a higher standard for fitness within Indian sports.
“The main level starts from 15, there are eight sprints. It goes on like that, 23.8 is last. We have seven players who have achieved 23.8,” Hardik said.”The junior girls score 17-18. Ours is 22-23,” the midfielder added, leaving even the host baffled with the details. It is worth mentioning that Kohli’s best Yo-Yo Test score is 17.2.
