SLC gets tough on fitness
Players will have to be more focused on fitness - File pic SLC
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) will introduce tougher fitness benchmarks for its national cricketers from next year as they have further reduced the existing targets set for 2km run and the skin-fold test.
The 2km test introduced early this year, replacing the Yo-Yo test to determine the fitness and endurance levels of the players, had a benchmark of 8.35 minutes, which was later increased to 8.55 minutes, on a request made by the Cricket Technical Advisory Committee.
However, the selectors now want the national players to perform the 2km run within the expected benchmark of 8.10 minutes. Those who run below the benchmark up to 8.35 minutes will be eligible for selection but the Board may retain a percentage from the annual contract fee until the player reaches the expected target.
“If a player ran the 2km in 8.35 minutes in February, he should be able to do it under 8.10 minutes now. We want the players to really work hard on their fitness and we will not tolerate lapses in fitness,” said Pramodya Wickremasinghe, the Chairman of Selectors.
“We have improved a lot in the past few months and we want them to improve it further in order to be more competitive”.
In addition, they have also lowered the skin-fold test levels to 70 from 85. Accordingly, the first of the four fitness tests scheduled for the year will be held on January 7, 2022, where all contracted players will be asked to take part.
“We don’t want any complacency from players when it comes to fitness. We need them to improve every passing day and this is why we have set new benchmarks. Besides the fitness test, we will also test their skills, to see whether they are ready to play,” said Wickremasinghe, whose committee has been financially rewarded by the SLC for their “excellent” work in selecting the squad for the T20 World Cup.
Additionally, the players will be randomly tested on a monthly basis to check whether they are putting in the hard yards to maintain fitness. Fitness levels of the national team improved in leaps and bounds during the last few months after passing the test became a mandatory requirement for national selection.