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The South African national team Banyana Banyana players, including Lebogang Ramalefe and Thami Kgatlana, are striving to inspire the team in the upcoming playoff race towards the World Cup.

The team's ambition to qualify for the 2027 World Cup remains unchanged, so they are putting forth all their effort in the playoffs, starting with the continental match on Thursday. Banyana, who finished second on the continent, arrived at the Wafcon tournament in Morocco as one of the favorites, but a slow start in the group stage raised doubts about their goals.

After advancing to the playoffs, these concerns were confirmed: Banyana failed to qualify directly for the World Cup, being eliminated in the quarterfinals after a 2-1 defeat to the host team, Atlas Lionesses. The team noted that their play demonstrated dominance despite the unfavorable outcome and emphasized the need to 'shake off, refocus, and come back stronger' to pass the next match.

Despite the disappointment and noticeable instability within the squad, Banyana continues its pursuit of a ticket to the global tournament in Brazil. The task will be challenging: the team must play an unfamiliar continental playoff match on Thursday against fierce rivals Nigeria at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Casablanca, and then strive for victories in the intercontinental playoffs later this year and in February.

In light of these difficulties, wing-back Lebogang Ramalefe explained that what the team needs is to capitalize on this second chance in the fight for World Cup qualification. She stated: 'Mental strength is required. As a team, we must clearly understand what we want. If we approach the next match with this mental strength, it's not lost yet. We must remain mentally sharp and treat the game like a final.'

The decision by coach Desiré Ellis to keep 16 players from the squad that won the Wafcon title in Morocco four years ago has been closely scrutinized, as critics expressed dissatisfaction with the perceived lack of desire. However, Ramalefe objects, pointing to the evolution of the game. She believes the issue is not a lack of hunger, but that football has changed, and many teams have improved their level, approaching or surpassing them.

While there is criticism regarding keeping the old core group instead of allowing for evolution and novelty, senior player Bambanani Mbane asserts that the responsibility for the poor start and disappointing exit from Wafcon lies with the entire group. He admitted: 'I think from the beginning of the tournament we didn't do everything possible. It just wasn't our time. We need to pull ourselves together.'

The clash with long-time rivals, Super Falcons, in the continental playoffs will require Banyana to play their best. Mbane understands that they will have to work hard, especially in attack. He added: 'It will be a tough game, but most importantly, we need to score goals. It won't be easy.' He concluded that what happened is part of the game, where there is always a winner and a loser, and the team needs to move forward, focusing on the next match.

The series of injuries among Indian players continues, leading some stars, including Jasprit Bumrah, to be unable to participate in the Sri Lanka tour. The situation has reached a point where a key player drops out before every series due to fitness issues. Consequently, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to change the entire procedure for assessing players' physical condition.

According to a TOI report, the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bangalore will now implement unified fitness standards for all Indian players. Previously, different standards were used for different players, which is considered one of the main reasons for the current crisis.

Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah has already been dropped from the Sri Lanka test series. Washington Sundar was also not ready for the first match and did not make the squad. Furthermore, Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy were recently absent from the team due to injury and fitness problems. Due to constant injuries, captain Shubman Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir have also expressed dissatisfaction. The team management believes that frequent injuries complicate the selection of an optimal squad.

After the arrival of strength and conditioning coach Adrian Le Roux last year, the BCCI began paying more attention to the Bronco test instead of the traditional Yo-Yo test. However, the main issue was the lack of an established minimum standard for the Bronco test. It was reported that some senior players were given relatively easy targets, while others were subjected to different standards. This unevenness called into question the entire fitness system.

The Centre of Excellence has set the following general parameters: Bronco test—from 5 minutes 15 seconds to 5 minutes 20 seconds; 2-kilometer run test—from 9 to 10 minutes; Yo-Yo test—minimum score of 16.5. Players will only be considered fit for selection after meeting these metrics.

Harshit Rana's case also casts doubt on the CoE's operations. During the England tour, he was sent back as injured, but it later turned out that he had not serious injuries, but rather spasms. Additionally, his weight exceeded the established limit. According to sources, during selection, his weight was 97 kilograms, whereas the CoE later set the maximum limit at 96 kilograms. Currently, his weight is 94 kilograms, and he is expected to receive fitness clearance next week. Thus, the player was initially declared fit, and then questions arose regarding his weight.

The CoE assured the team management that Jasprit Bumrah would be ready for the first match of the Sri Lanka test series. However, despite injections and rehabilitation, he could not recover in time. Following this, questions about the medical team's and the CoE's work intensified. According to reports, many regular players suddenly had to undergo new fitness tests at the CoE during the Sri Lanka tests, without being informed in advance about these new standards. Now, all centrally contracted players have been handed the new parameters in writing.

Within the BCCI, there is discussion that the fitness model adopted during the 2023 ODI World Cup, the 2024 T20 World Cup, and the 2025 Champions Trophy was more effective. During that period, each player's workload, recovery plan, and fitness tests were determined individually according to their needs. The Yo-Yo test was conducted every few months or upon return from injury.

Currently, players are required to undergo the Bronco test, 2K Run Test, and Yo-Yo too frequently, creating additional strain on the body. The Indian team faces major challenges such as the Sri Lanka test series, the New Zealand tour, the Asian Games, and subsequently the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Under these conditions, the BCCI is unwilling to compromise on fitness matters.