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Team India's strength and conditioning coach Adrian Le Roux, who joined the BCCI support staff for the second time before the five-Test match series of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025 against England, opened up on the Bronco Test that has been introduced recently to test a player's fitness.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) shared a conversation with Roux, where he explained the Bronco test, which was originally made for rugby players to raise their aerobic and cardiovascular capacity. With four markers placed at 0m, 20m, 40m, and 60m, the player who runs goes from 0m to 60m, back to 0m, to 40m, to 20m, and finally back to 0m, covering a total of 240 m in one set. A total of five sets, i.e, 1,200 m without a break, completes this highly relentless test, as per Wisden. Wisden also reported that Indian players have been asked to complete it under six minutes.
Speaking in BCCI's video, Roux said, "The run we did today is Bronco run. It is not a new run or a measurement. It has been around since years in different sporting codes. It is something we introduced in team's environment. It is two-fold in use: We can use it as a training mechanism, and secondly, as a measurement. We get a good idea of where the players are in terms of their aerobic fitness and if we are moving in the right direction."
"It is a field test. We can do it at any place, any ground around the world. As we travel, we can always use it. It allows players to assess themselves at times. So it is a very functional test that you can do any place," he added.
Roux also said that the players have changed the dynamics of cricket over the last two decades, and his goal is to work on a player's conditioning so that they can showcase their skills well. Having his first stint with Team India in the early 2000s, he said that there are no big differences as far as his objectives of strength and conditioning are concerned.
"Cricket is a game of skill and we complement that skill with what we do, we try and help players to prolong their career. If you are physically prepared, you can play more seasons. If you look after yourself, a lot of things that we implement minimise the risk of an injury," he said.
Earlier, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar advised the BCCI to be cautious with the use of the newly introduced Bronco test for the selection criteria. The former India captain believes that the Bronco Test can't be a selection criterion. He further explained that all the players’ bodies are different and there should be specific modifications to their tests according to their roles.
Team India are currently in Dubai for the Asia Cup 2025, where they have defeated the UAE by nine wickets in their tournament opener. The Men in Blue will now face Pakistan in their second clash of the mega event, which will take place at Dubai International Stadium in Dubai on September 14.
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