The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has faced mounting pressure regarding player fitness, with a new annual report from the Centre of Excellence (CoE) revealing that 32 top-tier cricketers required injury rehabilitation between April 2025 and March 2026. The cohort included 20 centrally contracted players and 12 individuals identified under the targeted or India 'A' categories, highlighting the significant physical toll on the national squad over the past year.
The data indicates that the frequency of injuries intensified following the 2026 Indian Premier League, with at least two players sustaining injuries during each subsequent series. In response to these challenges, the BCCI has significantly bolstered the CoE’s financial resources, increasing the budget to a projected Rs 127 crore for the 2026-27 period, up from the Rs 92 crore spent in the previous financial year.
Rising Injury Toll and Rehabilitation Trends
The CoE’s Sports Science Medicine (SSM) team managed a total of 68 players across both men’s and women’s cricket during the reporting period. While the majority of these cases involved soft-tissue injuries, the report also documented specific impact-related treatment, such as the foot fracture sustained by Rishabh Pant during a Test match in Manchester in July 2025. The document further disclosed that Rohit Sharma underwent rehabilitation for a hamstring injury following the 2026 IPL, a development that had not been previously confirmed by the board.
The list of players requiring attention has remained extensive throughout the year. As of September 30, 2026, the roster of treated players included Virat Kohli, Varun Chakravarthy, Prince Yadav, and Harsh Dubey. Several athletes, including Jasprit Bumrah, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Hardik Pandya, and Prasidh Krishna, were identified as repeat cases. Notably, Rana, Pandya, and Reddy each spent a minimum of four months at the CoE over the last 18 months.
Operational Challenges and Management Concerns
Despite the increased investment, the CoE has faced internal hurdles, including a leadership vacuum. The position of SSM head has remained vacant since the resignation of Nitin Patel in March 2025, with the BCCI only initiating the recruitment process for a successor last month. Reports suggest that this vacancy has contributed to a breakdown in communication between the national team’s medical staff and the CoE, with VVS Laxman serving as the primary intermediary.
Disagreements over workload management have also surfaced, with Team India strength and conditioning coach Adrian Le Roux reportedly suggesting adjustments to routines in June 2025 that the CoE was reluctant to adopt. Furthermore, the report noted that 15 of the 57 originally budgeted camps and tournaments were not conducted during the audited year. Despite these operational setbacks, 37 players—comprising 11 contracted stars and 26 India 'A' or targeted prospects—participated in the CoE’s 'training block' programme, which focuses on enhancing strength and technical skills.
