Pragyan Ojha opens up on Virat Kohli-led fitness transformation in Indian cricket [Exclusive]
Star cricketer Virat Kohli is at the forefront of the fitness transformation in Indian cricket. His dedication to physical fitness and diet has not only lifted his performance but has also inspired a generation of cricketers globally to prioritize their health and conditioning.
Historically, the Indian team was often perceived as one of the less athletic sides on the field. This reputation was partly due to the presence of senior players who, were extremely skilled in their core responsibilities, but were not known for their agility or endurance. However, since Kohli decided to go on a fitness journey, other players followed a similar pattern.
Former Indian spinner Pragyan Ojha, reflecting on this transformation, pointed out that the fitness benchmarks for cricketers have significantly increased across all levels of the sport in India.
“If you go back 15–20 years ago, you would find one, two, or three players who were supremely fit. After that, Virat Kohli came and set a culture which not only the Indian team but if you see domestic cricket, local cricket, or club cricket, boys are fit because he has left that kind of impact on them,” Ojha told in an exclusive interview with CricTracker.
All the boys who are coming are fit: Pragyan Ojha
The effect of this fitness revolution is evident in the upcoming generation of Indian cricketers. Ojha mentioned that young talents like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, and Rishabh Pant as examples of players and feel these three will take the Indian team forward.
“So, I think that now all the boys who are coming here are fit, their benchmark has gone up. If you talk about the Yo-Yo test or power training, then the benchmark of boys which was ten years ago has gone up by 20%. Look Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, and Rishabh Pant, these three boys will take the Indian team forward,” he added.
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Meanwhile, the former spinner is currently playing in the third edition of the Legends League Cricket 2024 for defending champions Manipal Tigers. On the other hand, India team recently won the first Test against Bangladesh in Chennai.