Rohit Sharma has successfully cleared the pre-season fitness tests conducted at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. These tests were mandatory for all centrally contracted players ahead of a busy international season.

Sharma, who retired from Test and T20I cricket earlier this year, participated in the Yo-Yo test and the newly introduced Bronco test. He reportedly impressed everyone with his performance and physical appearance. Other players, including Shubman Gill, Jasprit Bumrah, and Prasidh Krishna, also underwent the fitness assessments. Krishna particularly stood out with his high score.

The Bronco test, a hard-aerobic running assessment, involves shuttle runs between cones placed at 20, 40, and 60 meters, performed in five sets without breaks. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has introduced the Bronco test, which has been around for ages in rugby, to replace the Yo-Yo test. The former strength and conditioning coach of the Indian team, Ramji Srinivasan, welcomed the introduction of the Bronco Test in Indian cricket. He believes that this test minimizes the ability to cheat or cut corners, unlike the Yo-Yo test.

These fitness tests are designed to identify areas where players need to improve. Besides the Yo-Yo and Bronco tests, the players also underwent Dexa scans to assess bone density and blood tests.

With his next international assignment being the ODI series against Australia in October, the 38-year-old Sharma is keen to fine-tune his preparation. There is speculation that he might play for India A against Australia A in Kanpur in late September and early October.

While Sharma has cleared the fitness test, there is no clarity on when Virat Kohli will undergo the test. Like Sharma, Kohli has also retired from T20Is and Test cricket.

With the Asia Cup 2025 approaching, these fitness assessments play a crucial role in finalizing the squad and planning individual workloads.