Indian hockey stars Manpreet Singh and Hardik Singh openly challenged Virat Kohli and the RCB squad to a Yo-Yo Test battle while praising the former India captain’s elite fitness standards.
Virat Kohli has long been regarded as one of the fittest athletes in Indian cricket and continues to inspire young cricketers with his intense training standards and athleticism. Even at the age of 37, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru batter remains one of the quickest movers on the field, regularly displaying remarkable agility and energy during IPL 2026.
Kohli’s dedication to fitness has also helped him dominate one of the toughest endurance assessments used in Indian cricket, the Yo-Yo Test. The fitness evaluation is designed to measure an athlete’s stamina, cardiovascular endurance, and ability to recover during high-intensity activity.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India has maintained a benchmark score of 16.1 in the Yo-Yo Test for player eligibility. Kohli, however, has consistently surpassed that level over the years.
The former India captain once registered a stunning score of 21.6 under BCCI supervision, a mark considered among the best achieved by an Indian cricketer. Even recently, Kohli reportedly recorded 17.2 despite being in his mid-thirties.
Hockey Stars Throw Open Challenge To Kohli And RCB
The discussion around Kohli’s fitness intensified after Indian hockey stars Manpreet Singh and Hardik Singh openly invited him and the entire RCB squad for a Yo-Yo Test challenge.
The challenge came shortly after Kohli praised the fitness standards of Indian hockey players during an interaction at the RCB Innovation Lab.
“Cricket is in such prime focus in our country that we often overlook other sports. If I am being honest, we aren’t even 15% of the fitness of an Indian hockey player. If the hockey players watch our training sessions, they would laugh because their sport demands far more,” Kohli said during the interview.
Following Kohli’s remarks, RevSportz Global’s Boria Majumdar asked Indian hockey captain Manpreet Singh whether he could compete against Kohli in a Yo-Yo Test.
“Yes, of course, I invite him [Virat Kohli] openly. Please come with the whole RCB team; our team will be here as well. We can compete against each other,” Manpreet said.
ALSO READ | Virat Kohli Praises Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues; Opens Up On Purpose Beyond Records
Hockey Players Praise Cricket’s Challenges Too
While issuing the challenge, both Manpreet Singh and Hardik Singh acknowledged the physical and technical demands of cricket as well.
The duo admitted that facing elite fast bowling would be extremely difficult for hockey players despite their own exceptional fitness levels.
“But their game is also very difficult. The ball comes very fast, right? If we are asked to bat, it will be very tough for us to face a 150kph delivery,” the duo added.
Hardik Singh also highlighted how interactions between athletes from different sports could positively impact Indian sport overall.
“I think we should do it and it will be very good for the sport. If we interact with each other across sports categories, it will always be a great exchange, so yes, we are looking forward to it,” Hardik said.
ALSO READ | Ravi Shastri Wants 15-Year-Old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Fast-Tracked Into India T20 Debut
This article follows WicketWatcher’s editorial standards. Learn more in our Editorial Policy or report an issue via our Corrections Policy.