The BCCI Centre of Excellence has come under scrutiny as a string of injuries affects India’s squad. VVS Laxman has now explained how the centre handles player rehabilitation, fitness reports and selection, insisting there is close coordination between the CoE, team management, medical staff and selectors.
Laxman, who heads the BCCI Centre of Excellence, made it clear that the facility should not be viewed simply as a rehabilitation centre for injured players.
“Centre of Excellence is not a rehabilitation centre. It’s a centre where we strive for excellence every day,” Laxman said.
His comments come as several India players remain unavailable because of injuries or fitness concerns, including Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana and Sai Sudharsan.
Laxman said injuries are an unavoidable part of professional cricket, particularly with players moving between demanding international series and tournaments.
“Injuries are part and parcel,” he said, adding that the focus should be on managing players properly rather than viewing every injury negatively.
Bumrah and Sudharsan were initially included in India’s squad for the Sri Lanka series, but both remained subject to fitness clearance.
Laxman rejected the idea that the CoE or selectors should be blamed when players do not recover in time, saying there is a coordinated process involving the relevant departments.
“We don't like to use the word ‘blame’, because when you are using ‘blame’, then you are finding someone as a scapegoat,” Laxman said.
He pointed to the coordination between the CoE, team management, Sports Science and Medicine staff and the selection committee as a key part of the process.
According to Laxman, the selection committee requests a fitness report from the CoE before making decisions on players recovering from injuries.
“We collect the current fitness status and send a fitness status report to the selection committee chairman,” he explained, with the report also shared with the relevant head coach and the BCCI.
That process is particularly important for players listed as “subject to fitness”. Laxman said the wording means a player's selection is conditional and does not guarantee that they will be available for the series.
Laxman explained that Bumrah and Sudharsan were selected with the clear condition that they still needed to complete their fitness process.
“Bumrah and Sai Sudharsan were going to be picked... subject to fitness clearance,” he said.
Players are assessed through different stages of their recovery, with their progress communicated to the selectors and coaching staff. If their recovery does not progress as expected, the team can make alternative plans.
“They understand that they are not yet ready to participate in an international series,” Laxman said, stressing that the process remains “player-centric and team-centric”.
Laxman also revealed the scale of the work being handled by the Centre of Excellence. Around 150 male and female cricketers are monitored throughout the year.
“We monitor 150 cricketers, women and men, through the year,” he said.
The centre also works with players ahead of major tournaments and series, with members of the men's team visiting Bengaluru for skill development and training when required.
For India, the explanation comes at a time when fitness has become a major concern. Laxman's comments suggest the BCCI's position is that the system is functioning through continuous monitoring rather than isolated clearance decisions.
