On Sunday, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the revival of the YO-YO Test and the inclusion of DEXA as a selection criterion for the Indian squad (January 1). The BCCI met with India captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid to discuss India’s poor performance in the T20 World Cup 2022. Following the meeting, the BCCI revealed several significant changes, including the selection of 20 players for the 2023 one-day World Cup.
The YO-YO Test and DEXA are now necessary selection criteria for the Indian squad, according to the management. The BCCI has employed the YO-YO Test for fitness evaluation before, most recently in preparation for the 2019 one-day World Cup.
“The Yo-Yo Test and Dexa will now be part of the selection criteria and applied in the personalised roadmaps of the central pool of players,” the BCCI said in a statement.
However, DEXA (Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry) is a new concept in Indian cricket, but considering the current injury difficulties across forms, it is important and may be effective in injury prevention. According to an Indian Express report, Ramji Srinivasan, the former strength and conditioning coach of the Indian team that won the World Cup and Champions Trophy in 2011, first recommended the Dexa scan test to the National Cricket Academy in 2011 due to an increase in the number of matches played in a year.
“It lets you identify where the fat is and whether the training techniques are giving the effect. It’s all part of a cycle. It is part of testing methods that should have been made obligatory a long time ago. Some organisations have been doing this for ten years. It is a fail-safe approach. Skinfold may be modified and various results can be obtained each time. However, with Dexa, everything will be consistent, and the data will be utilised in the future as well,” Ramji said.
The spectral imaging test will be used to assess bone density and identify probable bone fractures. DEXA scans employ high-energy and low-energy beans that pass through the bone and release X-rays that are used to detect bone density and mineral content.
The scans are also used to calculate body fat percentage and lean muscle mass. DEXA scans are more effective than standard X-ray scans because they can detect even minor changes in the body.
