Manpreet Singh Challenges Virat Kohli to a Fitness Showdown
Indian hockey star Manpreet Singh has thrown down the gauntlet to cricketer Virat Kohli and the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) team, inviting them to participate in a joint-training session. The idea is to see who can perform better in a yo-yo test challenge.
In a recent chat with RevSportz, Manpreet expressed his enthusiasm for the possibility of competing against Kohli and his teammates. The former captain of the Indian hockey team believes it would be an exciting way to showcase the athletic abilities of both sports.
“We’d love to invite Virat and the entire RCB squad to train with us and compete,” Manpreet said, highlighting that his team’s fitness levels are exceptional.
While acknowledging the challenges of cricket, such as the speed of the ball, he feels confident that hockey players would excel in a head-to-head fitness contest. “Cricket is tough too, especially with balls coming in at 150 kph, but we have our own set of challenges,” he noted.
Kohli’s Respect for Hockey Fitness Standards
During the RCB Innovation Lab Indian Sports Summit, Kohli gave a shout-out to hockey players, claiming that cricketers generally fall short in fitness compared to their hockey counterparts. “Honestly, we are not even 15% as fit as these athletes. If they were to see our training sessions, they might find it amusing because their sport demands so much more physically,” he shared.
Kohli emphasized that fitness should be a standard expectation in sports rather than an extraordinary achievement. The focus on cricket often overshadows other sports, but he believes that all athletes should strive for high fitness levels.
Paddy Upton, a former coach of the Indian cricket team, even remarked that Kohli might be the only cricketer who could keep up with the demands of a hockey training session.
This intriguing challenge between these two sporting worlds could lead to an exciting and friendly competition, showcasing the strengths and skills of both cricket and hockey players.
