The Board of Control for Cricket in India is expected to conduct a formal review of Team India’s injury management system after a growing number of fitness breakdowns have repeatedly prevented the team from fielding its strongest playing XI across formats. According to a report in The Times of India, the current team management led by captain Shubman Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir is likely to provide feedback on head physiotherapist Kamlesh Jain, who replaced Nitin Patel in 2022, while the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) is also facing scrutiny over its role in player rehabilitation and fitness clearances. Jasprit Bumrah is the latest high profile casualty, having been ruled out of the upcoming two match Test series against Sri Lanka due to a left knee injury sustained while fielding in an ODI against England in Cardiff last month. The BCCI confirmed the news and named uncapped Jammu and Kashmir fast bowler Auqib Nabi as his replacement. A BCCI source told PTI that both the team management and the selection committee were initially made to believe Bumrah would be available for at least one of the two Tests, adding that the CoE’s functioning on this matter has left everyone baffled.
𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦:
Auqib Nabi replaces Jasprit Bumrah in India’s Test squad.
Details 🔽 #TeamIndia | #SLvIND https://t.co/lAf25FbpDN
— BCCI (@BCCI) August 3, 2026
Gill and Gambhir Frustrated by Last Minute Fitness Setbacks
The frustration within the Indian camp became public during the recent white ball tour of England, where multiple players were unavailable or carrying niggles that limited their effectiveness. Gill spoke openly about the challenge after India’s defeat at Lord’s:
“It becomes a little difficult when you come to the ground in the morning and find out that a player has a niggle. Then it’s almost like asking whether you want to take a chance. If a player is only 80% fit and you are playing with five bowlers, and that player comes off after bowling five overs, then who will bowl? This is difficult. So, as a group, we need to improve our fitness and all those things.”
Shubman Gill after the Lord’s defeat
That kind of public admission from a captain is unusual in Indian cricket and signals just how deep the concern runs within the leadership group currently managing India across formats. For Gambhir, who took over as head coach with a mandate to bring discipline and accountability, the repeated injury setbacks undermine his ability to build consistency in selection and team combinations.
Kamlesh Jain and Centre of Excellence Under the Scanner
The report indicates that several questions have been raised about the role of head physiotherapist Kamlesh Jain in managing player workloads and recovery timelines. Some senior Indian cricketers have reportedly sought medical opinions from specialists outside the BCCI setup, which suggests a level of dissatisfaction with the in house medical guidance. The BCCI’s Centre of Excellence, which is meant to serve as the central hub for player fitness monitoring and injury rehabilitation, is also under scrutiny. A source tracking the developments told The Times of India:
“The role of head physio Kamlesh Jain is under the scanner, as is that of the experts at the COE. These injury concerns aren’t ideal because both the captain and coach have regularly struggled to field a full strength Playing XI. How can one think about the right playing combination when even the 15 isn’t their first choice?”
Source via The Times of India
The transition from former strength and conditioning coach Soham Desai to his replacement Adrian Le Roux has also reportedly been less than smooth, with a section of players finding the adjustment difficult.
Were Players Rushed Back Too Early
The most pointed questions emerging from the review concern whether specific players were cleared to play before being fully fit. The source asked directly whether Nitish Kumar Reddy was 100 percent fit when he played the third ODI against Afghanistan, and whether Harshit Rana was rushed back into action prematurely.
“There is so much competition for each spot that a player is expected to push his body. This is where the support staff and the CoE need to step in. They need to raise the red flags and not rush players back into action. The situation is now becoming a bit embarrassing, and every concerned person needs to be held accountable.”
Source via The Times of India
The pattern of selection disruptions caused by fitness issues is not new, but the frequency and the calibre of players affected has escalated significantly in 2026. Bumrah’s case is the most telling example: the swelling in his knee turned out to be more serious than initially assessed, and the Sports Science team at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru ultimately decided against rushing him back, keeping India’s packed calendar in mind.
What This Means for the Sri Lanka Series and Beyond
With Bumrah out and questions hanging over the fitness management process, India head into the Sri Lanka Test series under a cloud. The series begins on August 15 in Galle, with the second Test in Colombo starting August 23. Auqib Nabi, who took 104 wickets across the last two Ranji Trophy seasons and was instrumental in Jammu and Kashmir’s maiden Ranji Trophy title, becomes the first cricketer from J&K to receive a call up to India’s senior Test side. The broader concern is not just about one series but about whether the system that manages player health across a packed international calendar is fit for purpose. India’s schedule through the rest of 2026 and into the 2027 World Cup cycle is relentless, and if the current injury management approach does not improve, the consequences will extend far beyond missing one or two matches.
Key Players Ruled Out or Under Fitness Cloud:
- Jasprit Bumrah: left knee injury (sustained fielding in Cardiff ODI vs England)
- Harshit Rana: injury details undisclosed (availability questioned)
- Nitish Kumar Reddy: injury details undisclosed (fitness for 3rd ODI vs Afghanistan questioned)
- Sai Sudharsan: participation subject to BCCI medical clearance
India’s Updated Test Squad for Sri Lanka:
- Shubman Gill (c)
- KL Rahul (vc)
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
- Rishabh Pant (wk)
- Sai Sudharsan*
- Dhruv Jurel (wk)
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Manav Suthar
- Mohammed Siraj
- Prasidh Krishna
- Gurnoor Brar
- Devdutt Padikkal
- Saransh Jain
- Auqib Nabi
*Subject to fitness clearance.
Series Schedule:
- 1st Test: August 15, Galle
- 2nd Test: August 23, Colombo
Sources:
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