BCCI secretary Saikia to meet VVS Laxman at CoE amid India injury crisis
Synopsis
With Bumrah, Sudharsan, and four other players in rehab, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia is flying into Bengaluru to personally review India's injury management at the CoE — a rare board-level intervention that signals the crisis has moved beyond routine medical oversight. The absence of a permanent sports science head since early 2025 adds a structural dimension to what is increasingly looking like a systemic problem.
Key Takeaways
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia will meet Head of Cricket VVS Laxman at the Centre of Excellence, Bengaluru on Sunday, 10 August .
Jasprit Bumrah (left knee swelling) and B Sai Sudharsan (right big toe) will miss India's two-match Test series in Sri Lanka .
Harshit Rana , Nitish Kumar Reddy , Washington Sundar , Akash Deep , Hardik Pandya , and Varun Chakravarthy are all in rehabilitation at the CoE.
The CoE's Sports Science unit has had no permanent head since Nitin Patel's departure in early 2025 .
Head coach Gautam Gambhir and selector chairman Ajit Agarkar may join the review via video conference.
A press conference at the CoE on Sunday is reportedly being considered to address injury concerns publicly.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia is set to meet Head of Cricket VVS Laxman at the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru on Sunday, 10 August, to assess the escalating injury situation gripping the India men's cricket team. The high-level review comes days before India's two-match Test series in Sri Lanka, for which several key players remain unavailable.
Key Players Sidelined
Pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah is nursing left knee swelling and will miss the Sri Lanka Tests, as will left-handed batter B Sai Sudharsan, who continues to experience pain in his right big toe. Initial optimism that both players could be fit for at least one Test has faded following fresh medical evaluations.
Additionally, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, and Akash Deep are all currently undergoing rehabilitation at the CoE for various injuries. White-ball regulars Hardik Pandya and Varun Chakravarthy are also recuperating at the high-performance facility.
What the Meeting Is Expected to Cover
'Secretary Saikia is already in Bengaluru and he will be taking stock of the situation around injuries by meeting with VVS Laxman. It is yet to be known whether head coach Gautam Gambhir or chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar will join that meeting via video conferencing,' a source familiar with the matter said on Saturday.
The meeting is understood to be aimed at charting seamless recovery pathways for marquee players ahead of upcoming international commitments. A press conference at the CoE on Sunday is also reportedly being considered to address growing public concern over the frequency of injuries in the men's set-up.
Pressure on the Sports Science Unit
The Sports Science team at the CoE has been operating under considerable strain. The unit has been without a permanent sports science head since the departure of Nitin Patel in early 2025, leaving a structural gap at a time when the workload of managing multiple high-profile rehabilitation cases has intensified.
Broader Context
This is not an isolated episode — the Indian men's team has faced a mounting injury toll across formats over the past year, raising questions about player workload management and the adequacy of support staff. The absence of Bumrah alone is a significant blow, given his status as India's premier Test bowler. With a packed international calendar ahead, the BCCI's intervention signals that the board views the situation as requiring urgent structural attention, not just case-by-case medical management.
How Sunday's review translates into concrete policy changes — including whether the CoE's staffing gaps are addressed — will be closely watched by team management and cricket administrators alike.
Point of View
And that vacancy sits at the centre of this crisis. Saikia's visit is a necessary escalation, but a single review meeting will not fix a workload management culture that has allowed marquee players to arrive at major series already compromised. The BCCI must decide whether Sunday's meeting produces binding policy — on staffing, on player rotation, on load monitoring — or becomes another well-intentioned conversation that changes nothing on the ground.
NationPress
8 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia meeting VVS Laxman in Bengaluru?
Saikia is meeting Head of Cricket VVS Laxman at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru on Sunday to review the rehabilitation programme amid a surge of injuries in the India men's team. The meeting is aimed at establishing recovery pathways for key players ahead of upcoming international commitments.
Which India players are currently injured or in rehab?
Jasprit Bumrah (left knee swelling) and B Sai Sudharsan (right big toe pain) will miss the Sri Lanka Tests. Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Akash Deep, Hardik Pandya, and Varun Chakravarthy are also undergoing rehabilitation at the CoE in Bengaluru.
Will Bumrah play in the Sri Lanka Test series?
No. Despite initial optimism, medical evaluations have confirmed that Bumrah still requires more time to recover from left knee swelling and will not be available for India's two-match Test tour of Sri Lanka.
What is the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru?
The Centre of Excellence is the BCCI's high-performance facility in Bengaluru where Indian cricketers undergo rehabilitation, fitness training, and skills development. It has been operating without a permanent sports science head since Nitin Patel's departure in early 2025.
Will Gautam Gambhir or Ajit Agarkar be part of the Sunday meeting?
It is not yet confirmed. According to sources, head coach Gautam Gambhir and chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar may join the review meeting via video conferencing, though no formal confirmation has been issued.
