Indian cricket’s renewed emphasis on discipline and uniformity has come into question after Virat Kohli underwent mandatory fitness assessment outside India.
While most players flew to Bengaluru’s BCCI Centre of Excellence (formerly National Cricket Academy) for the evaluation, Kohli, currently residing in London with his family, was allowed to take the test in the United Kingdom after reportedly seeking special permission from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
The star batter cleared his assessments, which included yo-yo scores and the Bronco test, under approved supervision in London, reported Dainik Jagaran.
Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Mohammed Siraj were among those who completed theirs at the Bengaluru centre.
BCCI officials have acknowledged Kohli’s exemption, though it remains unclear whether similar concessions would be available to other players.
The ongoing series of fitness checks is part of the board’s intensified focus on player well-being, following India’s long injury list in recent months.
K.L. Rahul, Akash Deep, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, and Rishabh Pant are expected to feature in Phase 2.
These stringent evaluations stem from reforms introduced after India’s 3-1 loss to Australia in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
A new set of rules issued by the BCCI, popularly referred to as the ‘10 commandments’, has since brought about a reset in Indian cricket.
The new set of rules, once hailed as a blueprint for an egalitarian cricketing ecosystem, were designed to restore discipline and parity.
Among the most notable directives were mandates for players to feature in domestic cricket, travel with the squad for all tours and practice sessions, remain available for every scheduled training, and stay on with the team even if Test matches ended ahead of schedule.
These were considered non-negotiable standards to reinforce team spirit and accountability.
Kohli’s overseas clearance has revived concerns that, despite its reforms, the BCCI may not have fully dismantled the “superstar culture” it set out to eliminate.
