India’s contracted players complete pre-season testing at BCCI Centre of Excellence

Bengaluru, Aug 29 (IANS) Top Indian cricketers, including T20I captain Shreyas Iyer, opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, and veteran left-arm spin bowling all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, have completed their pre-season testing at the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) state-of-the-art Centre of Excellence (CoE) facility.

The screening and testing routines were conducted to evaluate player fitness levels and establish baseline physical metrics ahead of an intense, packed international and domestic home season in 2026/27.

“The pre season testing for the contracted players was conducted at the BCCI Centre of Excellence. The players who had to undergo the mandated fitness arrived in batches and completed their respective tests ahead of a busy season,” wrote the BCCI on its social media accounts on Saturday.

Wicketkeeper-batters Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, along with batters Rinku Singh and Ruturaj Gaikwad were among the prominent names spotted completing their respective testing protocols alongside Iyer, Jaiswal, and Jadeja.

Every year, the CoE conducts pre-season screening for contracted and targeted players, who undergo a series of fitness assessments and field-based tests. The players arrived in Bengaluru in phased batches over the course of the week to ensure personalized attention and adequate recovery time during the comprehensive testing procedures.

Pant, Jaiswal and Jadeja came straight to the CoE after completing the two-game Test tour of Sri Lanka, where India won 1-0. India’s upcoming cricket schedule features a dense lineup of multi-format fixtures, starting with a three-match T20I series against Afghanistan in New Delhi from September 13 to 17.

It is followed by the Iyer-led T20I side playing in the Asian Games in Japan from September 19 to October 4. At the same time, India will play a home white-ball series against the West Indies featuring three ODIs and five T20Is from September 27 to October 17.

After that, India will go on a multi-format tour of New Zealand from October 22 to December 1 comprising two Tests, five ODIs, and five T20Is. India will cap off the stretch on home soil with three ODIs and three T20Is against Sri Lanka to be played from December 13 to 27. In between, the ongoing Duleep Trophy, Irani Cup, Ranji Trophy, Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy will also keep the players busy.

–IANS

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