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Indian men's hockey team vice captain and midfielder, Hardik Singh, has highlighted the superior fitness levels of hockey players compared to Indian cricketers, pointing to their significantly higher Yo-Yo Test scores.
According to Hardik, the Yo-Yo Test results of hockey players far surpass those of cricketers, which may come as a surprise to many. The Yo-Yo Test, a global standard for measuring the fitness of international athletes, gained traction in India when cricketers' inclusion in the squad began to be influenced by their scores. Notably, Indian cricketers, especially star batter Virat Kohli, are often regarded as some of the fittest athletes in the country. Kohli's Yo-Yo Test score of 17.2 surpasses the team's minimum requirement of 16.5, further cementing his reputation for fitness. While cricketers are often lauded for their fitness with scores of 17-18 on the Yo-Yo Test, Hardik revealed that the Indian men's hockey team consistently scores around 23. "In cricket, if anyone is scoring 19 or 20 on the Yo-Yo Test, people call it the fittest. PR Sreejesh, who is a goalkeeper, scores 21," Hardik shared during a podcast. Hardik further explained how the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test (YYIR) is conducted: "The main level starts from 15, and there are 8 sprints. It progresses until 23.8, which is the final level. We have seven players who have achieved 23.8." He also highlighted the results of the junior girls' hockey team, who typically score around 17-18 on the test, which is equivalent to what Kohli scored. "The junior girls (hockey team) score 17-18. Our (average) is 22-23," he added. Hardik was last seen in action during the Paris Olympics 2024 and played a crucial role in India's bronze medal-winning performance at the quadrennial event, where they secured a 2-1 victory over Spain in the third-place playoff, marking their second consecutive Olympic Bronze. (ANI)
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