Yo-Yo test founder feels 16.1 score is very low for Indian players

"It is useful to obtain an idea of the physical capacity of the player."

Ambati Rayudu was excluded from the ODI squad due to failure in yo-yo test Getty Images

Yo-Yo test has recently been a subject of discussion in Indian media. Failure to clear the test saw Mohammed Shami and Ambati Rayudu out from the Test and ODI squad respectively. It is now compulsory for players to attain the mark of 16.1 to get through the test. Jens Bangsbo, inventor of the Yo-Yo test in sports to ascertain the physical fitness of the player has now introduced another version to determine players’ fitness. According to reports in The Deccan Chronicle, Bangsbo explained the importance of the test in sports: “It is just another application. The players are not running to exhaustion just 5 minutes and heart rate is measured. It is a submaximal version which is also a very useful test to see the development. It is useful to obtain an idea of the physical capacity of the player. The participants are running 20 meters back and forth as a Yo-Yo.”

When asked about the ideal level of qualification for Asian players, Bangsbo is not happy with the 16.1-mark: “I am aware of the reference values for the football players, but level 16.1 (for Indian players) is rather low.”