Former South African legend AB de Villiers has given his honest view on the Bronco Test, a new fitness measure the BCCI is planning to adopt for Indian cricketers. Known for its intensity, the Bronco Test is already a standard in rugby and some cricketing nations, and is now set to be part of India’s training system alongside the Yo-Yo Test and the 2km time trial.

De Villiers’ Experience With the Test

De Villiers admitted that while the name sounded unfamiliar at first, he had done the same drill during his playing days.

“I actually didn’t even know when the team told me about it. I said, ‘What is a Bronco Test?’ But when they explained it to me, I knew exactly what it was. I’ve been doing it ever since I was 16 years old. Over here in South Africa, we call it the sprint repeat ability test,” De Villiers said in a video on his YouTube channel. 

“It’s one of the worst you can do. Very clearly remember at the University of Pretoria, also at SuperSport Park, in the cold winter mornings of South Africa, in particular, where there’s not a lot of oxygen, the altitude here is, I think, 1,500 meters above sea level. So, not a lot of oxygen, and those lungs would burn,” he added. 

What the Bronco Test Involves

The Bronco Test is designed to measure a player’s endurance and repeat sprint ability. It requires athletes to complete five continuous sets of shuttle runs, 20m, 40m, and 60m, covering a total of 1,200 meters. Unlike the Yo-Yo Test, there is little room to pause or slow down, making it harder to manipulate results.

Mixed Reactions From Experts

While some see the introduction of the Bronco Test as a positive move, not everyone agrees. Former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin recently warned that sudden changes in fitness routines could disrupt players, suggesting that new methods should be blended carefully with existing systems. Meanwhile, ex-India batter Manoj Tiwary questioned the timing of the change, hinting that the test might be used as a filter to keep certain players out of the squad.