VVS Laxman declared that the BCCI Centre of Excellence is not a rehabilitation centre and carries a broader mandate from the board, pushing back against growing criticism of the Bengaluru facility as India’s injured player list crossed double digits ahead of the Sri Lanka Test series starting August 15.
“CoE is not a rehab centre. There’s a bigger responsibility and mandate given by the BCCI.”
VVS Laxman, press conference at CoE Bengaluru, August 9, 2026
Laxman addressed the press conference alongside BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia and BCCI president Mithun Manhas. Saikia had travelled to Bengaluru specifically to review the injury management programme at the facility.
Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Sai Sudharsan have all been ruled out of the Sri Lanka Tests. Hardik Pandya, Varun Chakravarthy and Prince Yadav are among the white-ball players also rehabilitating at the CoE. The total number of senior men’s team players at the facility is in double digits.
India are fifth in the WTC 2025-27 standings with four wins and four losses in nine matches, a points percentage of 48.15. Losing Bumrah for this series removes India’s highest-ranked Test bowler from what is already a difficult away cycle.
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The most revealing comment from Laxman’s press conference was not about the CoE’s mandate or the injury list. It was about fast bowler workloads.
“The stress injuries or the injuries happen not because a fast bowler is bowling too much. It happens that a fast bowler is not bowling enough.”
VVS Laxman, press conference at CoE Bengaluru, August 9, 2026
Fast bowler injuries in Indian cricket are almost always discussed publicly as overuse problems. Too many matches, too many overs, not enough rest. Laxman said the opposite. The problem is underuse.
This points to what happens between assignments. A fast bowler finishes an IPL season bowling four overs per match at high intensity. Then there is a gap before the next international assignment. If that bowler does not maintain his bowling load during that gap, his body adapts to lower output. When he suddenly returns to bowling 15 to 20 overs a day in Test match conditions, the spike in workload causes the breakdown. The injury does not come from the Test match itself. It comes from the weeks before it where the bowler was not bowling enough to stay match-ready.
Laxman confirmed the CoE tracks this through an Athlete Management System with GPS data, monitoring weekly bowling loads for every contracted and targeted fast bowler. There is a “sweet spot” for each bowler. The challenge, as Laxman admitted, is remote monitoring when a player is not physically at the facility.
Why BCCI Cannot Find a Sports Science Head
Laxman revealed that the Head of Sports Science and Medicine position at the CoE has been vacant since Nitin Patel’s departure. Three separate candidates agreed to take the role and then backed out.
“We shortlisted five candidates; No. 1 was Australian, can’t name him. He suddenly backed out, saying he can’t move to Bengaluru. It’s not a consultant role. You want the person to be there. It’s day-to-day monitoring.”
VVS Laxman, press conference at CoE Bengaluru, August 9, 2026
Andrew Leipus withdrew citing family reasons. The unnamed Australian could not relocate. A professional previously with New Zealand’s All Blacks rugby team also agreed and backed out. The vertical heads at the CoE have stepped up in the interim, but the position remains unfilled.
Laxman said the role requires not just stature and experience but an understanding of Indian cricketers. The CoE needs someone present daily, not a consultant who visits periodically.
Laxman insisted the coordination between the CoE, selectors and team management remains seamless. Fitness reports are sent to the selection committee chairman and head coaches before every squad announcement. Both Bumrah and Sudharsan were selected for Sri Lanka with an asterisk, subject to fitness clearance.
Saikia explained that selection meetings happen three to four weeks before departure, making it impossible to know a player’s exact fitness status at the time of selection. Players are not ruled out because they may recover in time.
Laxman also dismissed reports that contracted players were consulting private fitness trainers outside the official setup, calling it news to him.
VIDEO | Putting up a stout defence of BCCI’s Centre of Excellence, its chief VVS Laxman on Sunday said the center should not be blamed for slow recovery of players as cricketers are not “machines” who meet recuperation timelines every time.
Laxman asserted that there is… pic.twitter.com/Ov3wfbdCfp
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 9, 2026
PTI published the video from Laxman’s press conference on its verified X account on August 9. No counter-statement from any current player or former BCCI official has been made at time of publication.
Sources:
PTI, August 9, 2026
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