Modern cricket demands elite fitness. Gone are the days when cricketers could be out of shape and still perform. Kohli's fitness revolution changed Indian cricket, and now every professional cricketer trains like an athlete.
The yo-yo test is the baseline. Players run 20-meter shuttles at increasing speeds until they can't keep up. India requires a minimum score for national selection. Fail the yo-yo test, and you don't play — doesn't matter how talented you are.
Fast bowlers: Heavy emphasis on core strength, shoulder stability, and lower-body power. Bowling puts enormous stress on the body — a single delivery generates forces 6-8 times the bowler's body weight through their front leg.
Batsmen: Focus on rotational power (hitting), hand-eye coordination drills, and cardio endurance. T20 running between wickets is essentially sprint interval training.
Fielders: Agility drills, diving practice, and throwing accuracy under fatigue.
Ice baths, compression gear, sleep optimization, and nutrition timing are all part of the modern cricketer's toolkit. With IPL teams playing every other day, recovery is arguably more important than training.
High protein, controlled carbs, and precise hydration. Most IPL teams have full-time nutritionists who plan every meal. Kohli famously went vegetarian and credits it for his sustained peak performance into his late 30s.
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