The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is facing a persistent recruitment crisis at its Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru, with multiple high-profile international candidates for the post of Head of Sports Science and Medicine (SSM) withdrawing at the final stage of negotiations. CoE head VVS Laxman confirmed the setback on 9 August, stating that the search remains active despite repeated failures to close an appointment.

Key Developments

The SSM head position has been vacant since Nitin Patel, the former India men's team physio, departed the facility after March 2025. Since then, the BCCI has conducted at least two full-fledged global recruitment drives without success. Among those who came closest to accepting the role was Andrew Leipus, a former Indian team physio currently associated with IPL franchise Punjab Kings, who withdrew citing family reasons after multiple rounds of agreement with BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia.

A subsequent exhaustive interview process — involving Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala, Dr. Ashish Soni, Dr. Rohan Khavte, and Laxman himself — shortlisted five candidates. The top-ranked applicant, described as an Australian expert, declined the role because the position demands a full-time, on-site presence in Bengaluru — a condition he was unwilling to meet. A third candidate, the former head of sports science at the celebrated All Blacks rugby team, also pulled out at the last moment.

What Laxman and Saikia Said

'Andrew almost agreed and then backed out,' Laxman told reporters. 'The first candidate was from Australia. The second and third candidates are already working at the CoE. Now, it's our responsibility to upskill them while looking to identify someone of that stature and experience and knowledge.'

BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia acknowledged the difficulty candidly. 'It's a rare commodity to fit into that position. The person who will be heading the sports sector must be much better than our existing technical persons. There are very limited people, not only in India but across the world. Because of the acute shortage, we are not getting the person. But the process is on,' he said.

How the CoE Is Coping

Despite the vacancy at the top, Laxman credited the existing internal team for restructuring operations. The department has been reorganised into four verticals: a rehab vertical, a performance vertical, a domestic vertical, and an education vertical. Laxman emphasised that any future appointment must carry not just global credentials but a deep understanding of Indian cricketers' specific physiological and workload demands — a combination that has proven difficult to source.

Why the Role Is Hard to Fill

The full-time, residential nature of the posting in Bengaluru has emerged as the single biggest deterrent for elite international candidates, many of whom are accustomed to consultant or part-time arrangements with top sporting organisations. This comes amid a broader global scarcity of sports science professionals qualified to manage elite cricket squads at the highest level. Notably, the BCCI's CoE was designed to serve as the nerve centre of India's high-performance pipeline — making the SSM head role one of the most consequential off-field appointments in Indian cricket.

What Happens Next

Laxman reiterated that the BCCI will not lower its standards to fill the vacancy quickly. The search continues globally, with the board insisting on identifying a candidate of sufficient stature and expertise. Until then, the internal team will continue managing the department through its four-vertical structure, with the CoE simultaneously working to upskill the two existing in-house candidates who made the final shortlist.