In a rare exception, Virat Kohli was allowed by the BCCI to complete his mandatory fitness test in London, while the rest of the Indian squad reported at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru last week. The move has sparked debate over whether the board is granting preferential treatment to senior players.
The tests, conducted ahead of the busy international season, also saw stars like Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Shubman Gill, and Mohammed Siraj undergo evaluations in Bengaluru on August 29. Kohli, currently in England with his family, reportedly obtained prior approval for his overseas assessment.
The first phase of testing focused on baseline strength and recovery patterns, with players like Hardik Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson, and emerging talents such as Ruturaj Gaikwad also completing their evaluations. A second phase in September will assess players in rehab or return-to-play mode, including KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Rishabh Pant, and Nitish Reddy.
While the BCCI maintains strict fitness protocols to ensure peak readiness and prevent last-minute pullouts, Kohli’s London test raises questions about whether geographic flexibility should be allowed for all players or remain an exception.
