Now Reading: VVS Laxman defends BCCI’s Centre of Excellence as injury doubts swirl
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VVS Laxman defends BCCI’s Centre of Excellence as injury doubts swirl
VVS Laxman, head of BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE), has pushed back against criticism that the Bengaluru facility is failing to prevent mounting injuries in the Indian cricket team. Speaking at a…
The Story in Brief
VVS Laxman, head of BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE), has pushed back against criticism that the Bengaluru facility is failing to prevent mounting injuries in the Indian cricket team. Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, he said the CoE is not merely a rehab centre and refused to blame any individual or department for the spate of fitness issues. “Injuries are part of any player’s career,” he said. “We don’t use the word blame because that would be looking for a scapegoat.”
Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out of the Sri Lanka Test series due to a knee issue and fluid retention. Opener Sai Sudharsan was also withdrawn after his toe injury did not heal fully. Fast bowler Harshit Rana suffered a second hamstring strain within two weeks of returning from a four-month layoff, raising questions about return-to-play protocols. Nitish Kumar Reddy’s hamstring and quadriceps problems have been linked to a sudden increase in bowling speed. The CoE has lacked a Head of Sports Science since Nitin Patel resigned in early 2025.
The Indian Opinion
Laxman is right to reject scapegoating, but the sheer number of breakdowns, Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Nitish Reddy, demands more than reassurance. The Head of Sports Science post has been vacant since Nitin Patel quit in early 2025. Why hasn’t BCCI filled it? And if the gap between medical clearance and selection committee timelines is a known issue, whose job is it to fix it? The next few months, specifically how Harshit Rana’s second hamstring tear is handled, will tell us if this is bad luck or a system failure.
Source: aajtak.in
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
