Indian cricketers, with their exceptional athleticism and endurance, consistently demonstrated remarkable fitness levels during intense matches and demanding tours. Ankit Kaliyar, the strength and conditioning coach for the Board of Control for Cricket in India, shared insights into how these players maintain their peak physical condition to keep pace with the demands of a gruelling schedule.

According to Kaliyar, each player follows a personalised training regime, with Virat Kohli setting the standard with his exemplary fitness, adding that the former captain’s discipline has had a positive influence on his teammates. Furthermore, Kaliyar highlighted that despite his “bulky appearance”, India’s captain, Rohit Sharma stands out as one of the fittest players in the team, and he further deemed Rohit as fit as Virat Kohli.

“Rohit Sharma is a fit player. He has good fitness. He looks a bit bulky but he always passes the Yo-Yo test. He is as fit as Virat Kohli. He looks like he is bulky but we have seen him on the field. His agility and mobility is amazing. He is among the fittest cricketers,” Kaliyar told The Times of India.

After a gruelling ODI World Cup campaign, where Rohit and Virat Kohli were among the standouts, the two players asked to be rested for the white ball leg of the South Africa tour and will be joining the Indian team for the two-match test series.

The players have to pass the yo-yo test to be considered as fit enough to be part of the Indian team. A player needs to get a score of above 17 to be able to pass the fitness test.

Kaliyar also termed Kohli as the fittest player not only among the current crop of Indian players, but in the world. Kohli often posts his intense gym sessions on social media and his fitness levels always reflect on the field with his gun-fielding and running between the wickets.

“Virat Kohli is the fittest player in the Indian team and the world. The reason behind that is that he’s following a strict schedule. Whether he’s playing or not, he follows or takes care of his nutrition, training, supplementation, and conditioning part really well. He is very religious about his regime and routine. He’s the fittest athlete in India and throughout the world,” Kaliyar said.

Kaliyar also discussed Kohli’s role as an inspiration within the Indian team, emphasizing how Kohli has fostered a culture of fitness among the youngsters as well.

“Virat is a leading example when it comes to fitness. He has created a culture of fitness in the team. When your top player is so fit, then you become an example for others. He injects confidence in others. When he was the captain, he ensured everyone remained fit. Fitness was his top parameter in the team. He has created that culture and discipline in the team. That atmosphere was created by Virat bhai and it’s a commendable thing. He is the reason why all the Indian players are so fit,” said Kaliyar.

The former India captain had spoken to American journalist Graham Bensinger about his fitness transformation, revealing how he felt bad about his body after a poor run in the IPL 2012 season. The star batter has always acknowledged the role of India’s former strength and conditioning coach Shankar Basu for helping him out in his fitness journey.