MS Dhoni the benchmark as Team India gear up for fitness tests in Bangalore

Mumbai: It’s almost been close to 14 years since Mahendra Singh Dhoni broke into the cricketing spotlight on the international stage but when it comes to peak fitness levels, the former Team India skipper continues to raise the bar.

Despite not having age by his side there is no doubting that the veteran wicket-keeper batsman can give even the youngsters a run for their money when it comes to fitness standards.

MS Dhoni was the key orchestrator as Chennai Super Kings (CSK) completed a fairytale comeback in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with their third trophy last week. The CSK captain topped the list for the highest batting average of 75.83, scoring 455 runs from 15 innings.

Former Team India physical trainer Ramji Srinivasan was invited for a preseason camp with the franchise two weeks before the start of the 2018 IPL campaign, where he trained with players from different age groups. However, he was surprised to see Dhoni still in good shape.

“Dhoni once again led by example. MS is still the fittest of them all in the Team India ranks,” he was quoted as saying by the Times of India.

It is learnt that close to 40-odd players will train at Bangalore from the 5th to 10th of June to assess their fitness levels. Apart from the mandatory Yo-Yo tests that cricketers will undergo, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is also planning DEXA scans for dual-energy absorptiometry, as per the report.

The scan measures the entire body composition and bone health via a 10-minute test that calculates total body fat percentage, including the exact breakdown of bone mass, fat and muscle tissue.

With a challenging season approaching ahead, Dhoni continues to lead the way. “Look at the shape he’s in, considering he’s not playing around the year. Extremely impressive. He’s the one from who the rest should be seeking inspiration,” Ramji says.