Harshit Rana’s Fitness Woes: Did BCCI Miss His Weight Gain During UK Tour?

BCCI Fitness Issue: Alarmed by the recurring injury setbacks involving Indian team players, the medical team at the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru is looking to overhaul and revive its fitness programme.

According to a report from TOI, the CoE is working towards standardising baseline fitness benchmarks after customised and non-uniform fitness tests were identified as one of the key reasons behind a decline in overall fitness standards.

The Indian team underwent a change in its fitness testing regime last year after Adrian Leroux replaced Soham Desai as the strength and conditioning coach. Since then, the Bronco test has been adopted as the primary fitness assessment, replacing the Yo-Yo test.

However, it is learnt that the BCCI’s medical setup, comprising the CoE and the Indian team’s medical teams, has faced difficulties in maintaining coordination while assessing players’ fitness levels. As a result, the BCCI is looking to bring on the Bronco test, which is more agility-driven.

Harshit Rana Fitness: Was Indian Pacer Overlooked By BCCI?

One of the major contentious episodes that has emerged in the fitness fiasco for India is around the ‘overweight’ issues of Indian pacer Harshit Rana. The Indian pacer had put up significant weight during his recovery from a serious knee injury that required surgery and kept him on the sidelines for around five months.

Rana completed his structural rehabilitation at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru. However, he is understood to have struggled to manage his weight during the prolonged period of inactivity. Subsequently, the pacer reportedly joined the Indian squad in the UK weighing around 97kg. The additional weight is believed to have placed considerable strain on his body, particularly given the intense physical demands faced by fast bowlers.

Fast bowlers can experience braking forces equivalent to six to eight times their body weight during their delivery stride, making weight management an important part of maintaining fitness and reducing injury risk.

The episode has once again highlighted the importance of maintaining conditioning and weight management throughout rehabilitation, particularly for fast bowlers returning from major injuries.