Bengaluru, August 9: VVS Laxman, head of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Center of Excellence (CoE), believes that injuries are an inevitable part of high-level sports today. He highlighted that the CoE’s role extends beyond just rehabilitating injured players. There is excellent coordination among support staff, selectors, and team management.
Both senior men’s and women’s teams have faced injury challenges at various times. In light of this, Laxman held a press conference on Sunday with BCCI President Mithun Manhas, Secretary Devjeet Saikia, Treasurer Raghuram Bhatt, and Joint Secretary Prabhtej Singh Bhatia. They discussed the growing issue of injuries at the high-performance center, which spans about 40 acres on the outskirts of Bengaluru.
During the press conference, Laxman stated, “The CoE is not just a rehab center. Its role is much broader in helping cricketers perform at their best. While it is concerning, it is evident that top-level players must give more than 100%. If you don’t, you are not justifying your role or selection in the team. Today’s players have to play significantly more cricket than when I played, especially with the advent of T20 and all three formats. This is where the CoE and SSM staff initiatives will benefit players. It is not just for contracted or selected players but will also aid state-level players. Therefore, I believe injuries are a crucial part of any player’s game.”
He also mentioned that top athletes naturally exert more pressure on their bodies, making physical injuries in competitive sports unavoidable.
Laxman reiterated, “I want to emphasize that when you play at the highest level, after one series, you work hard to become better and fitter for the next series. Even if you do that, injuries can still occur. If you are focused on avoiding injuries, you are not playing to your full potential. Thus, one aspect that needs attention—and I believe there has been significant change—is how you perceive injuries. Do you see them as a negative? Or do you consider them a part of the game?”
He acknowledged that while there is improvement in player care processes, injuries will still happen. He stressed the importance of a monitoring system, stating, “I have no doubt that when Adrian and Nick or Kamlesh and Rakhi work for the country, they do so with this understanding. Injuries occur, and we must recognize that it is part of the intensity of playing international cricket.”
Laxman dismissed rumors of misunderstandings regarding player fitness or blame-shifting, especially as players like Jasprit Bumrah, B. Sai Sudharsan, Hardik Pandya, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Akash Deep, Prince Yadav, and Varun Chakravarthy recover from various injuries at the CoE.
He stated, “I think we prefer not to use the word ‘blame’ because when you blame someone, you are scapegoating. I don’t know what you all think, but you start attributing blame to this or that person. However, there is excellent coordination among the CoE, both teams’ management, SSM staff, and the selection committee.”
Laxman elaborated on the conditional selection process for key players like Bumrah and Sudharsan, who are not expected to play in the upcoming two-match Test series against Sri Lanka. He explained, “When we send fitness status reports, the process involves selectors requesting fitness status from the CoE. We gather the current fitness status and send it to the selection committee chairman (or the chairperson of the women’s selection committee), with a copy sent to both teams’ head coaches and the BCCI. In the cases of Bumrah and Sudharsan, there is always an ‘asterisk’ (conditional note). You all know that when a media release comes from the BCCI, it includes an asterisk with the player’s selection. What does that asterisk mean? It means—dependent on fitness. Therefore, Bumrah and Sudharsan were to be selected only upon receiving fitness clearance for the Sri Lanka tour.”
Laxman noted that the process of monitoring players’ fitness is ongoing before any final decisions are made. He stated, “As I mentioned earlier, we assess them, move them from one stage to another, and if progress is slow, we inform the selection committee chairman and head coach. This communication happens smoothly, and they understand that the player is not yet ready to play in international series. This is always done with the player and team in mind. Hence, discussions are very straightforward. Fitness conditions are something we must keep in mind in any press release. The BCCI has ensured transparency in all fitness reports and selections. After selection, whether information is shared with the press, it is clearly stated that these players were selected based on fitness conditions. This means that if they do not pass the fitness test here, the selectors will know which other players will step in. This is common understanding.”
Explaining the administrative timeline, Secretary Saikia clarified why the ‘fitness condition’ aspect is crucial at the time of team announcements. He said, “In response to your question, our selection meetings typically occur at least three to four weeks before the team departs. Therefore, three or four weeks prior, we do not have a clear picture of the player’s status. Hence, the star (*) indicating ‘fitness condition’ is essential.”
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