Indian cricketers who are likely to make the 18-member squad for the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 will reportedly undergo extensive fitness and medical tests at Alur. India host the next edition of the World Cup starting on October 5 and the management is looking to tick every check box to end their wait for the ICC trophy.
According to a report from PTI, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCC) will be holding extensive tests to prepare the World Cup-bound players. National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru regularly conducts major routine tests but the BCCI is expected to add further parameters to these tests ahead of the World Cup.
Apart from regular Dexa Tests (to check bone density), the added parameters will include lipid profile, blood sugar (fasting and PP), uric acid, calcium, Vitamin B12 and D, creatinine and testosterone.
Indian team is currently touring Ireland for the three-match T20I series and then enters the Asia Cup 2023 tournament starting on August 30. Only four players Jasprit Bumrah, Tilak Varma, Prasidh Krishna and Sanju Samson are with the squad for the Ireland tour and made India’s squad for the Asia Cup and might skip the tests. The majority of the squad selected for the Asia Cup is likely to make the World Cup squad and will undergo mandatory Tests.
“Yes, the routine fitness tests of most of the players save those who have just played a series in Ireland will be conducted (Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, Sanju Samson) along with mandatory blood tests,” a BCCI source told PTI on the condition of anonymity on August 23.
India squad for Asia Cup 2023: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya (vc), Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Sanju Samson (Traveling reserve)