Former South Africa captain AB de Villiers has sounded alarm bells about the much-discussed Bronco Test, calling it one of the most gruelling fitness drills he has ever done.
Known for its intensity, the Bronco Test is already a standard in rugby and some cricketing nations and is now set to be part of India’s training system alongside the Yo-Yo Test and the 2km time trial.
Strength and conditioning coach Adrian Le Roux recently introduced the fitness test in Indian cricket.
De Villiers admitted that while the name sounded unfamiliar at first, he had done the same drill during his playing days.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, he revealed that he was introduced to the drill early in his career and recalled just how demanding it can be.
"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. Over here in South Africa, we call it the sprint repeat ability test,” De Villiers said.
The former batter, known for his explosive agility and elite fitness during his playing days, admitted that the test often left him gasping for air, especially in South African conditions.
"It's one of the worst you can do. 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.
The Bronco Test is a continuous shuttle run drill that includes repeated sprints over 20m, 40m, and 60m, performed five times in succession without breaks, covering a total of 1,200 metres. Unlike the Yo-Yo test, it is continuous and tests cardiovascular endurance and aerobic capacity under high stress.
Former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin recently warned that sudden changes in fitness routines could disrupt players, suggesting that new methods should be blended carefully with existing systems.
Ex-India batter Manoj Tiwary questioned the timing of the change, hinting that the test might be used as a filter to keep certain players out of the squad.
With Indian cricket placing renewed emphasis on fitness, the introduction of the Bronco Test by Le Roux, who previously worked with the Indian team in the early 2000s and has vast experience in South Africa and the IPL, signals a new benchmark for conditioning, especially for the team’s transition into a more demanding multi-format calendar.