If anybody thinks yo yo test is one-off, he can walk-off: Ravi Shastri

Ravi Shastri makes it clear that passing yo yo fitness test is mandatory for players to get selected to Team India

New Delhi, June 22: The Yo Yo test has been hogging all the headlines for a while now India head coach Ravi Shastri said on Friday (June 22) that the procedure is not one off and it is here to stay.

"If you are fit, you can enhance your ability on the field. Anyone who thinks that this is a one-off, he can walk-off. The philosophy is simple - you pass the test, you play. You fail the test, you sail. The captain leads from the front, the selectors are on the same page, the management is on the same page and the players have responded well," said Shastri during India's pre-departure press conference here.

LOOKING FOR TOUGH CRICKET IN ENG: KOHLI" title="100% FIT: KOHLI | LOOKING FOR TOUGH CRICKET IN ENG: KOHLI" />100% FIT: KOHLI | LOOKING FOR TOUGH CRICKET IN ENG: KOHLI

Recently, pacer Mohammed Shami and Ambati Rayudu failed in the Yo Yo test. While Shami was ejected from the squad for the one-off Test against Afghanistan and was replaced with Navdeep Saini, Rayudu lost the place in India's ODI squad to tour England to Suresh Raina after failing to clear the test.

I am hundred percent ready to go and excited to get back on the field - #TeamIndia Captain @imVkohli ahead of the upcoming tour to UK. pic.twitter.com/5t4UDVYbes
— BCCI (@BCCI) June 22, 2018

India will play limited over cricket ahead of the Test series, a first since their tour of England in 2002, and Shastri said it will help the players to adjust to the conditions.

"From the boys' point of view, it is ideal. We will play the first T20Is against Ireland on June 27 and the first Test of the series is on August 1 so the players will get a lot of time to adjust to the conditions," Shastri said.

Every game is a home game for us and our job is to conquer the pitch wherever we go - #TeamIndia Head Coach @RaviShastriOfc. pic.twitter.com/LzTC0cecjn
— BCCI (@BCCI) June 22, 2018

Asked about the preparation for the tour of England, Shastri said, "For us there is no away, every game is home game because we don't play the opponent, we play the pitch. Our job is to conquer the pitch. Wherever we go - it could be Bombay, it could be Delhi, it could be London, it could be Johannesburg. It is 22 yards that we have to try and conquer, and that is the endeavour.

"The boys know that they will be rated if they adapt to different conditions. So, if the other team has to adapt to those conditions, so do we. It's not a question of where you're playing, for us every game has to be a home game.

"You see those 22 yards, you say, 'how am I going to take 20 wickets on those 22 yards, and how am I going to score 350-400.' Keep it simple," said Shastri.