Injuries to Indian players have become a major concern at the moment. With several players struggling with fitness issues, questions have also been raised over the functioning of the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE).
The criticism has increased ahead of India’s Test series against Sri Lanka. Several Indian players have been dealing with injuries, while Jasprit Bumrah and Sai Sudharsan were initially selected subject to fitness clearance before eventually being ruled out.
This raised a simple question among fans: if the players were not completely fit, why were they selected in the first place?
BCCI Centre of Excellence head VVS Laxman has now explained how the entire fitness and selection process works.
VVS Laxman on BCCI CoE: Selectors Get Fitness Reports Before Selection
VVS Laxman made it clear that the selection committee and the head coach are informed about an injured player’s fitness status before the team is selected.
According to Laxman, when selectors ask for the fitness status of a player, the CoE assesses him and sends a detailed report to the chairman of the selection committee. The relevant head coach and BCCI officials are also kept informed.
The same process is followed for the women’s team, with the fitness report being shared with the chairperson of the women’s selection committee.
This means selectors and the team management are aware of the stage of a player’s rehabilitation and how his recovery is progressing before taking a selection call.
Why Are Injured Players Selected Then?
This is where the biggest question comes in. If a player is still recovering from an injury, why is he named in the squad?
Laxman’s explanation gives a clear picture of how this happens.
If the CoE believes that a player has a realistic chance of becoming fully fit before the series begins, selectors can pick him subject to fitness clearance. This is why we often see an asterisk next to a player’s name when a squad is announced.
Jasprit Bumrah and Sai Sudharsan were selected for the Sri Lanka Test series under the same condition.
However, rehabilitation does not always progress according to the expected timeline. Sometimes a player’s recovery can be slower than expected.
Laxman explained that if the progression becomes slow, the CoE communicates the latest situation to the chairman of the selection committee and the head coach.
So, it is not a case where a player is selected and the selectors suddenly find out just before the series that he is still injured. According to Laxman, the communication continues throughout the recovery process.
What Did Laxman Say About Bumrah and Sai Sudharsan?
The cases of Jasprit Bumrah and Sai Sudharsan attracted the most attention because both players were included in the squad subject to fitness clearance.
However, neither could recover in time to take part in the Sri Lanka Test series.
“Bumrah and Sai Sudharsan’s selection for Sri Lanka depended on fitness clearance. Any delay in recovery is immediately communicated to the selectors and head coach.” said VVS Laxman.
BCCI CoE Is Not Just a Rehabilitation Centre
Laxman also stressed that the BCCI Centre of Excellence should not be viewed only as a rehabilitation centre for injured players.
The CoE has several responsibilities beyond rehabilitation and works on the overall development and preparation of players.
Questions have been raised over the Centre of Excellence because of the number of Indian players dealing with injuries in recent times. However, Laxman did not try to blame anyone for the situation.
Injuries are part and parcel of professional cricket, and recovery timelines can also change depending on how a player responds during rehabilitation.
At the same time, his comments make it clear that communication regarding player fitness takes place between the CoE, selectors and the head coach.
Who Is Responsible for the Final Selection Call?
There is another important point in Laxman’s statement.
He did not directly blame the selectors or India head coach Gautam Gambhir for selecting players who were still recovering from injuries.
However, his explanation makes it clear that the selection committee is aware of the player’s fitness status and expected recovery timeline.
From there, the selectors have to take a call.
If they believe the player can recover before the series, they can select him subject to fitness clearance and wait until the final assessment.
On the other hand, they can also decide not to take that risk and pick another player in the original squad itself.
Therefore, putting the entire blame on the Centre of Excellence every time a player fails to recover before a series may not give the complete picture.
The CoE can assess a player, manage his rehabilitation and provide an expected recovery timeline. But injuries and rehabilitation do not always follow an exact schedule.
VVS Laxman and Devajit Saikia clarify the selection and subsequent withdrawals of Jasprit Bumrah and Sai Sudharsan from the Sri Lanka Test tour, emphasizing player health and seamless communication with the selection committee 🏏 pic.twitter.com/rSPRO1sqPG
— Tezzbuzz (@Tezzbuzz) August 9, 2026