VVS Laxman backs BCCI Centre of Excellence despite India’s injury crisis: ‘There are bigger roles to play for it…’

VVS Laxman has defended the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) Centre of Excellence (CoE) amid increasing scrutiny over India’s injury situation, insisting that the Bengaluru facility should not be viewed merely as a rehabilitation centre.

The former India batter, who heads the Centre of Excellence, addressed concerns surrounding the facility at a time when several members of the national team are dealing with injuries.

VVS Laxman stressed that the CoE has a broader responsibility towards Indian cricket, including helping players develop and maintain their performance levels.

“CoE is not merely a rehab centre. There are bigger roles to play for it in helping cricketers achieve excellence," the former Hyderabad cricketer said.

Multiple injury concerns for India

The comments come against the backdrop of a growing list of injury concerns within the Indian setup.

Jasprit Bumrah, B Sai Sudharsan, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar are among the players currently dealing with fitness issues, while Akash Deep has been sidelined for an extended period with a lower-back stress fracture.

Hardik Pandya, Varun Chakravarthy and Prince Yadav are also undergoing rehabilitation at the CoE.

Bumrah’s absence has attracted particular attention. The fast bowler had initially been expected to be available for at least part of India’s upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka, but further assessment of his knee injury led to a more cautious approach.

He has been ruled out of the series after continued problems pertaining to his knee.

"Injuries are part and parcel of any player's career. That's why monitoring system is very critical. And we don't use the term blame then we will be trying to find scapegoats," Laxman added.

The BCCI, however, is taking the situation seriously. Secretary Devajit Saikia is scheduled to meet Laxman at the Centre of Excellence to review the rehabilitation and injury-management programme.

The discussions are expected to examine how the CoE communicates fitness updates to the selection committee and how rehabilitation timelines are determined.

Questions over coordination have emerged following several cases in which the expected return dates of players changed after further assessments. Harshit Rana’s recurrence of a hamstring injury shortly after returning from a lengthy layoff has also intensified the discussion around return-to-play protocols.

When the new facility was inaugurated in Bengaluru in 2024, Laxman had highlighted its extensive infrastructure and said it would benefit both current and future generations of Indian cricketers.

With India preparing for the Sri Lanka Test series beginning on 15 August, the focus will now be on how effectively the BCCI, CoE and selection committee work together on player fitness and availability.