Virat Kohli will have to undergo the mandatory pre-season fitness assessments at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru. Recently, almost half of the centrally contracted players underwent the pre-season fitness tests and cleared them, including Rohit Sharma.
However, Virat Kohli is yet to land in India from London, where he is currently residing with his family. It is still unclear when the former Indian captain will arrive at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, but Revsportz made some interesting revelations.
No relaxation for Virat Kohli, he will have to undergo the mandatory fitness Test at CoE
A Revsportz journalist, Rohit Juglan, revealed that it is “mandatory for all the players who have the BCCI’s annual contract” to undergo mandatory preseason fitness tests in Bengaluru. It will be “a two-day test,” and Kohli must clear all the tests at the National Cricket Academy (NCA).
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However, the BCCI’s strength and conditioning coach, Adrian Le Roux, has the data of every Indian player’s body, you know. But Kohli hasn’t played an international game for India since that ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final in March, so he will not get any “relaxation” for the pre-season fitness assessments. He will have to “go through with that two-day test.”
There will be a blood test, a urine test, a pre-breakfast test, a post-breakfast test, a concussion test, and arm wrestling, apart from the multiple tests. And Kohli will not get any discount to prove his fitness.
Virat Kohli’s NCA reporting date is still unclear
Meanwhile, there is no clarity yet on when Kohli will report to the National Cricket Academy (NCA), which is now also called the Centre of Excellence, for his mandatory fitness tests. The journalist confirmed that no date or time has been fixed for Kohli’s arrival at the NCA.
The Indian cricket team is scheduled to travel to Australia around September 15 for the upcoming ODI series, following the conclusion of the second and final Test against the West Indies in Delhi. With the first ODI scheduled for October 19, the squad for the Australia tour is expected to be announced around September 29 or 30.
🚨 When can we expect Virat Kohli at the COE for the mandatory fitness test for all contracted players?@rohitjuglan with all the details.@ThumsUpOfficial #ViratKohli #RohitSharma𓃵 #IndianCricket pic.twitter.com/VnSaD2gi6W
— RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) September 1, 2025
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Before that, the Indian selectors, captain, coaches, and support staff will meet tentatively on September 25, and at the meeting, every player must present a fresh fitness clearance, which can only be issued after routine tests at the NCA, to be selected for the Australia tour.
Virat Kohli is likely to undergo a fitness test on September 20
So, the right-handed batter’s fitness clearance cannot be finalized until he presents at the NCA. According to the schedule, Kohli should check in at the BCCI Centre of Excellence around September 20 to complete assessments and submit reports before the squad is finalized for his comeback ODI series.
Recently, Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir called Kohli a desi boy despite his stylish persona during the Delhi Premier League (DPL) 2025 final. As West Delhi Lions lifted the trophy with a six-wicket win over Central Delhi Kings under Nitish Rana’s captaincy, Gambhir asked to label Kohli.
That’s when Gambhir described Kohli as a true “desi boy,” given his fiery, street-smart attitude and his strong Delhi roots. Notably, both Gambhir and Kohli hail from Delhi and started their journey from there.
