Virat Kohli has drawn attention to the fitness demands of Indian hockey, suggesting that professional cricketers do not come close to the physical benchmarks set in the sport. The comments, made during a recent RCB Innovation Lab event, have been welcomed by hockey players and officials who say the praise highlights how demanding hockey can be at the highest level.
Key takeaways
- Kohli argued that fitness in sport should be treated as a basic requirement, not something treated as a special achievement.
- He claimed Indian hockey players are working at a markedly higher fitness level than cricketers, putting the gap at under 15% by his estimate.
- The Royal Challengers Bengaluru batter made his remarks at the RCB Innovation Lab Indian Sports Summit on Tuesday.
- Indian men’s hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh said he recently spoke with Kohli about hockey fitness benchmarks, including the yo-yo test.
- Harmanpreet added that Kohli was surprised to hear that hockey goalkeepers score above 20 on the yo-yo test.
Kohli calls fitness a “job requirement”
Speaking at the third edition of the RCB Innovation Lab Indian Sports Summit on Tuesday, Kohli reflected on what it takes to perform consistently in elite sport. He said fitness should not be viewed as an unusual or extraordinary trait, but instead as the standard expectation that professional athletes must meet.
“People sometimes treat fitness like it’s something exceptional, but for me it’s simply part of the role,” Kohli said. “It needs to be the norm—something you expect, not something you cheer as if it’s rare.”
Kohli also pointed out that cricket’s massive popularity in India can cause other sports to be overlooked, even when they demand demanding physical capabilities. In his view, hockey is one such sport where athletic requirements are especially intense.
Comparison with hockey and Harmanpreet’s response
Making a direct comparison between the two games, Kohli said Indian hockey players operate far beyond what he believes cricketers typically reach in terms of physical fitness. He stressed that hockey’s pace and physical intensity require a different kind of preparation and in-game effort.
“To be blunt, we’re not even 15% of the fitness level of an Indian hockey player,” Kohli remarked. “If hockey players saw our training routines, they’d probably laugh—because their sport asks for far more physically.”
After Kohli’s comments surfaced, Harmanpreet Singh—captain of the Indian men’s hockey team—shared details of a conversation he had with the cricket superstar earlier. Harmanpreet said they spoke about training standards and the metrics used to gauge fitness in hockey.
Harmanpreet explained that Kohli was keen to understand hockey’s fitness benchmarks. “We had a great discussion about fitness at an event not too long ago. He told me hockey is such a fast sport and he wanted to know our fitness standards,” Harmanpreet said.
He further revealed that they discussed the yo-yo test, and when Harmanpreet told him that even hockey goalkeepers manage scores above 20, Kohli reacted with genuine surprise. “When I told him that even our goalkeepers score above 20, he was genuinely surprised,” Harmanpreet added.
Harmanpreet said the exchange was productive and helped underline why hockey is viewed as one of the most physically demanding sports. “We had a wonderful discussion and shared experiences about training and fitness,” he said. “I’m thankful that someone like Virat Kohli brought attention to the fitness standards of hockey players. Ours is one of the fastest and most physically demanding sports in the world, and recognition like this means a lot to the hockey community.”
