NEW DELHI: With India’s growing injury list putting the spotlight on the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE), its head VVS Laxman has pushed back against the scrutiny surrounding the Bengaluru-based facility, insisting that injuries are an unavoidable part of a cricketer’s career and that the focus should be on monitoring players rather than finding scapegoats.The CoE has come under increasing scrutiny in recent weeks amid concerns over rehabilitation timelines, fitness assessments and communication between its sports science team and the national selection committee. Several key players are currently dealing with injuries, with Jasprit Bumrah, Sai Sudharsan, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar among those facing fitness concerns.Laxman, however, defended the institution’s broader role, stressing that it should not be reduced to a rehabilitation centre.“CoE is not merely a rehab centre. There are bigger roles to play for it in helping cricketers achieve excellence,” Laxman said at a press conference in Bengaluru on Sunday.His comments come at a time when the CoE’s injury-management programme is under renewed examination, particularly with India set to begin a crucial Test series against Sri Lanka on August 15.
‘We don’t use the term blame’
Laxman also refused to attribute India’s injury problems to any individual or department, arguing that injuries are an inherent part of professional sport.“Injuries are part and parcel of any player’s career. That’s why monitoring system is very critical. And we don’t use the term blame then we will be trying to find scapegoats,” he said.The CoE chief pointed towards the facility’s monitoring systems and the measures being used to assess players continuously, rather than relying solely on conventional fitness tests.“Yo Yo test cannot be done when a player is part of the series, so we have introduced Bronco test by Adrian, so that the fitness can be monitored continously,” Laxman said.He cited Bumrah and Sudharsan as examples of players whose fitness was assessed through multiple parameters before decisions were made on their availability.“Jasprit Bumrah and B Sai Sudharsan were picked as subject to fitness. We move them from one parameter to other before giving the clearance to play. The communication between CoE and team management is quite seamless,” he added.The comments are significant given the uncertainty that has surrounded the availability of both Bumrah and Sudharsan for the Sri Lanka Tests.Both players were initially included in India’s squad subject to fitness, but the CoE’s medical and sports science experts ultimately opted for caution after assessing their respective conditions.Bumrah’s absence is particularly significant, with the fast bowler’s knee continuing to cause problems after an impact injury. Fluid retention has required additional recovery time, forcing India to prepare for the series without one of their most important Test match-winners.Sudharsan, meanwhile, had been spending considerable time batting in the nets as part of his recovery but continued to experience pain in his left big toe.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia meets VVS Laxman
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia met Laxman at the CoE in Bengaluru on Sunday to take stock of the rehabilitation and injury-management programme.For the BCCI, the concern is not merely the number of players unavailable but also whether the timelines communicated by the CoE have consistently matched the expectations of the selectors.Laxman, however, maintained that the process is centred on continuous assessment and communication rather than assigning blame when a player suffers a setback.With India’s injury list growing and a demanding Test season ahead, the CoE is likely to remain under the microscope. Laxman’s message was clear: the facility’s role is not simply to get injured players back on the field, but to manage their overall journey towards sustained excellence.
