In a contentious assertion, former Indian cricket player Manoj Tiwary claims that the recently instituted Bronco Test in Indian cricket was created specifically to keep veteran batsman Rohit Sharma off the team.
In addition to the Yo-Yo Test and the 2-kilometer time trial, this new test, which is supervised by India's strength and conditioning coach Adrian Le Roux, serves as an additional fitness standard.
Tiwary voiced his doubts in an interview with Crictracker, raising concerns about the test's timing and fundamental goal, especially as India prepares to field a team for the 2027 World Cup. "I think it will be very difficult to keep Virat Kohli out of the plans for the 2027 World Cup.
But I have a doubt that they are going to look at Rohit Sharma in the scheme of things," Tiwary stated. "See, I'm a very keen observer of what things are going on in Indian cricket. And I believe this Bronco Test, which was introduced a few days back, I think it is for players like Rohit Sharma. Someone who I believe doesn't want them to be part of the team in the future. And that's why it has been introduced."
According to Tiwary, Rohit Sharma will face significant difficulty securing a place in the ODI team if he does not elevate his fitness standards. The former Bengal captain also raised questions about the abrupt timing of the test's introduction.
"But the only question is, why now? Why not when your new head coach got the assignment from the very first series? Whose idea is it? Who introduced this? Who enforced this Bronco Test a few days back? So it is a question for which I don't have an answer, but the observation says that it is going to be difficult for Rohit Sharma if he doesn't work really hard on his fitness. And I think he will be stopped at the Bronco Test," he added.
Tiwary drew a comparison to a previous period in Indian cricket when fitness tests were allegedly used to sideline senior players. He mentioned the introduction of the Yo-Yo Test after India's 2011 World Cup victory, which he believes was used to move on from players like Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, and Yuvraj Singh.
"I think it has been brought in, obviously, to set the fitness parameter at the highest level, but also I believe it has been introduced to keep a few players out," Tiwary said, adding that "a lot of things go on behind the scenes." And this is my observation. Let's see what happens. The future will definitely give me answers."
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What is the Bronco Test?
Originating in rugby and other sports requiring constant aerobic effort, the Bronco Test is a high-intensity, endurance-focused fitness evaluation. The Bronco Test is a continuous shuttle run intended to significantly test an athlete's cardiovascular endurance and stamina, in contrast to the Yo-Yo Test, which involves brief rest intervals.
Players must perform a series of shuttle runs (20, 40, and 60 metres) five times without stopping during the test. 1,200 metres have been covered in total. According to reports, the standard for elite Indian players, such as Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, and Shubman Gill, is to finish the test in roughly six minutes.
Here is a comparison of the key fitness benchmarks used in Indian cricket:
- Yo-Yo Test: A 20-meter shuttle run with progressively increasing speed and 10-second recovery intervals. The minimum pass level is 17.1.
- 2-Kilometre Time Trial: Fast bowlers must complete the run in 8 minutes and 15 seconds, while batters, spinners, and wicketkeepers have a target time of 8 minutes and 30 seconds.
- Bronco Test: Five sets of 20m-40m-60m shuttles, totaling 1,200 meters, with a target completion time of 6 minutes.
The decision to adopt the Bronco Test was reportedly influenced by concerns over the endurance levels of players during India’s recent five-Test series in England, where only one fast bowler, Mohammed Siraj, was fit enough to play all five matches.
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