Team India have, under their new head coach, adopted a new training policy in addition to the Yo-Yo Test, which is the Bronco Test. Commonly used in rugby and football, this test evaluates a player’s aerobic endurance and recovery capacity.
It requires completing five shuttle runs of 20 m, 40 m, and 60 m each, performed consecutively without rest. In total, the five sets cover 1,200 m, with the completion time recorded with faster times indicating higher fitness levels. Legendary South African batter Ab de Villiers has now blasted this move.
In a video posted on his YouTube channel, AB de Villiers revealed that he had been doing what is known as the Bronco Test ever since he was 16 years old. He called this one of the worst things for players as it could burn their lungs due to intensity.
“I actually didn’t even know when the team told me about it. I said, ‘What is a Bronco Test?’ But when they explained it to me, I knew exactly what it was. I’ve been doing it ever since I was 16 years old,” de Villiers said. “Over here in South Africa, we call it the sprint repeat ability test,” De Villiers said.
“It’s one of the worst you can do,” he added. “I very clearly remember at the University of Pretoria, also at SuperSport Park, in the cold winter mornings of South Africa in particular, where there’s not a lot of oxygen. The altitude here is, I think, 1,500 meters above sea level. So, not a lot of oxygen, and those lungs would burn,” he added.
R Ashwin Criticizes Bronco Test
In a video on his YouTube channel, R Ashwin revealed that when there is a change in a training regime, the players go through a lot of difficulty. In fact, this can also lead to a lot of injuries.
“I have always asked the trainers. When the trainers change, the testing mechanism changes. The trainer changes, the training schemes change. When this happens, players go through a lot of difficulty,” Ashwin said.
“As a player, if you keep changing training schemes, it is virtually very difficult for the players. In many cases, it could also lead to injuries. I am not denying that, it has led to injuries. From 2017 to 2019, I was searching for my training scheme. I have endured this. Soham Desai knows all about this,” the legendary spinner added.