Indian Hockey vice-captain Hardik Singh claims Hockey players to be fitter than Indian cricketers

Hardik Singh was in a podcast recently where he was asked about the fitness of Indian athletes. The Hockey star claimed that the level of fitness in Hockey is higher than in cricket. The Indian vice-captain felt a yo-yo score of 19-20 is considered great while it is considered normal in Hockey. He noted that even the junior girls' team has players with higher yo-yo scores.

Hardik Singh claimed that a cricketer with a yo-yo test score of 19-20 is considered to be the fittest. He noted how his former teammate PR Sreejesh had a score of 21 even when he was towards the fag end of his career. Hardik said the main level of the Hockey players starts at 15.

"In cricket, if anyone is scoring 19 or 20 on the Yo-Yo Test, people call it the fittest. PR Sreejesh, who is a goalkeeper, scores 21," said Hardik in the podcast. He noted how 8 sprints determine the result of the final score which could progress until 23.8, the final level.

'The junior girls score 17-18' - Hardik Singh

The Indian Hockey vice-captain added that they have seen players with points of 23.8. "The main level starts from 15, and there are 8 sprints. It progresses until 23.8, which is the final level. We have seven players who have achieved 23.8," added Hardik in the podcast.

The Yo-yo test is used as a way to determine the fitness of athletes. Indian cricket deployed it under the captaincy of Virat Kohli. Among the current Indian players, the highest-recorded athlete is Virat, who has a yo-yo test score of 17 points. In the past, Manish Pandey had the best score and was regarded as the fittest Indian player.

Hardik claimed that even the junior girls in Hockey have a similar level of fitness. He said their scores vary around 17-18 points. Singh concluded by saying that the men's team's average yo-yo score is around 22-23 points. "The junior girls (hockey team) score 17-18. Our (average) is 22-23," Hardik concluded.