Players play through injuries during IPL due to franchise, financial pressures, then are dumped onto unsuspecting COE physios: BCCI CoE Source

Bengaluru: A source at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) has raised concerns over players playing through injuries during the Indian Premier League (IPL) due to franchise and financial pressures before being sent to the national cricket board's rehabilitation facility, making the task of managing their return to international cricket increasingly challenging.

"Too much cricket. The human body has its load limits. Overuse and stress injuries, especially in older players, are unpredictable in terms of return to play. Players play through injuries during IPL due to franchise and financial pressures and then are dumped onto unsuspecting COE physios. The team physios and COE physios are competent and conscientious, and are keeping player safety as their top priority. This, of course, makes it difficult for selectors, coaches, and captains," said a COE source to ANI.

The remarks came on the sidelines of a press conference at the BCCI CoE in Bengaluru on Sunday, where CoE head VVS Laxman addressed the media alongside BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia and BCCI President Mithun Manhas.


The comments come at a time when India are dealing with a growing injury list ahead of their two-Test series against Sri Lanka, with left-handed batter Sai Sudharsan the latest addition to the unavailable players.

Sudharsan was ruled out of the series after failing to recover from a big toe injury sustained during the second India A Test against Sri Lanka A last month. He scored two centuries in the two 'A' Tests before being hit on the toe and has since been undergoing rehabilitation at the CoE in Bengaluru.

Sudharsan joins Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar on the injury list for the Sri Lanka series.

Bumrah was ruled out after failing to recover from a left knee niggle sustained during the second ODI against England in Cardiff last month. Jammu and Kashmir seamer Auqib Nabi, 29, has replaced him in the Test squad.

Rana, meanwhile, is recovering from a Grade 1 biceps femoris muscle strain sustained after his return from a major right knee ligament injury and surgery that kept him out for four months. He subsequently missed the 2026 T20 World Cup and IPL 2026.

Reddy is recovering from a left quadriceps injury that forced him to miss India's recent white-ball tours of Ireland, England and Zimbabwe. He suffered the injury while bowling against Afghanistan in the home ODI series in June.

Washington Sundar has been ruled out of the first Test due to a hamstring injury, while Akash Deep remains unavailable after suffering stress reactions in his back.

There is also a fitness concern around India captain Shubman Gill, although he has not been ruled out of the series. Gill did not take the field on the opening day of India's practice match against Sri Lanka Cricket XI in Colombo after hurting his right finger during practice.

The injury concerns have also brought the role of the CoE and its coordination with team management and selectors into focus. Laxman had earlier said there was seamless communication between the CoE, team management, support staff and the selection committee regarding players' fitness and rehabilitation.

India's two-Test series against Sri Lanka begins in Galle on August 15.

India's Test squad for Sri Lanka: Shubman Gill (captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Dhruv Jurel (wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar, Auqib Nabi, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Devdutt Padikkal and Saransh Jain.