Pak cricketers to undergo fitness tests

They are scheduled to undergo them on September 7 and 9

National cricketers included in the Test squad and those under consideration for the central contract will face a series of rigorous fitness tests, set to commence on September 7 in Lahore.

The stringent nature of the tests has sparked concern among the players, who are now gearing up for the challenging assessments.

According to the media reports, fitness tests for Test squad members and some centrally contracted cricketers are scheduled for September 7 and 9 in Lahore. These tests are tied to the central contract, prompting national cricketers to feel anxious as they ramp up their preparations to meet the stringent fitness requirements.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has set a passing criterion of 60%, higher than the international benchmark of 50%, adding to the pressure on the cricketers. The fitness assessment will include a variety of exercises such as bench press, skinfold measurements, bench pull, squat, and jump tests.

In addition to these, players will be required to complete a 2-kilometer trial run within 8 minutes and six sets of three sprints with a 30-second break between each set. The sprints must be completed within 10 seconds per set, a requirement that has particularly heightened the players' anxiety.

The PCB plans to announce the central contracts after the results of the fitness tests are finalized. It is expected that the number of central contract players will be reduced to 25, a decrease from last year's 30. This has further intensified the competition, as several current players may be dropped, and new talent could be introduced.

It is worth noting that after suffering a clean sweep in the Test series defeat against Bangladesh, Pakistan will face off against England in a three-match Test series from October 7-24.

With this defeat, Pakistan's hopes of reaching the World Test Championship 2023-25 final have come to an end.

The loss has sparked concern among former players, with many attributing the team's struggles to internal issues within the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and poor on-field performances.