File photo of Pakistan cricket team.© AFP
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will conduct stringent fitness tests before awarding central contracts for the next 12 months, bringing currently contracted players and other international and domestic performers into the ambit. The fitness test will be carried out between September 6 and 8 at Lahore and the process will be supervised by white ball head coach Gary Kirsten and the team's physiotherapist and trainer. The players will then leave for Faisalabad for the Champions Cup.
“The fitness tests will basically decide which players make the contracts this year while performances would also be given priority,” a reliable source in the board said.
“Both the foreign coaches (Kirsten and Jason Gillespie) have made it clear to the selectors and PCB that their first criteria for selecting players will be their fitness status,” he added.
“Gillispie was not happy with the fitness of some players in the recent Test matches against Bangladesh and felt they were not able to sustain their intensity and endurance during all sessions of the Tests,” the source added.
He said Kirsten had also expressed similar feelings about the fitness level of some players when he met with the selectors and board officials.
“The fitness tests will comprise everything to determine how fit a player is, gym training, stamina and endurance runs, yo yo and other tests would also be held,” he added.
Presently, the PCB has awarded central contracts to around 27 players but indications are the number would be reduced this time given the performances of the national team in the last one year in all formats.
Pakistan were swept aside 2-0 in a recent Test series by Bangladesh leading to a lot of criticism of players and board officials.