Bengaluru, August 8: The Indian cricket team is grappling with a growing injury crisis. In response, BCCI Secretary Devjeet Saikia will meet with cricket head VVS Laxman on Sunday in Bengaluru to assess the rehabilitation program at the Centre of Excellence (COE).
According to sources, “BCCI Secretary Saikia is already in Bengaluru. He will discuss the injury situation with VVS Laxman. It remains unclear whether head coach Gautam Gambhir or chief selector Ajit Agarkar will join the meeting via video conference.”
This meeting comes at a time when there were initial hopes that Jasprit Bumrah and Sai Sudharsan would be fit for at least one Test match. However, medical assessments have revealed that Bumrah still requires more time to recover, while Sudharsan continues to experience pain in his right big toe.
The high-level meeting aims to establish a clear path for the recovery of key players ahead of upcoming international commitments. It is also understood that a press conference may be held at the COE on Sunday to address ongoing concerns regarding frequent injuries within the men’s setup.
The Indian team will miss fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah and left-handed top-order batsman Sai Sudharsan in the two-Test series against Sri Lanka. Bumrah has been ruled out due to injury, while Sudharsan is unlikely to participate in the second Test after being sidelined for the first.
Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, and Akash Deep are currently rehabilitating at the COE due to various injuries. Players like Hardik Pandya and Varun Chakravarthy are also undergoing treatment at the COE. The sports science team at the COE is under pressure, especially since there has been no permanent head of sports science since Nitin Patel’s departure in early 2025.
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