BCCI's CoE faces injury crisis with 68 players treated in 20 months, budget expands

Focus on the injury challenges in Indian cricket.

The Centre of Excellence (COE) has become the focal point in Indian cricket due to a growing injury crisis. Over the past 20 months, 68 players have been treated or are undergoing rehabilitation at the COE. This includes leading players from various zones, genders, and contract statuses, highlighting a widespread issue. The volume of injuries is concerning, with roughly three players being sidelined each month. Due to this situation, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has increased the COE's funding from 92 crore to 127 crore to better address the rehabilitation demands and injury management.

Most injuries reported in the 2025 and 2026 seasons are soft tissue injuries. These typically include muscle tears, hamstring injuries, nerve problems, and other related issues affecting muscles and ligaments. Soft tissue injuries dominate the injury landscape, with only a few exceptions such as fractured toes or dislocated shoulders, which are classified as impact injuries. Notable players like Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya, Rohit Sharma, Jaspreet Bumrah, and others have all been treated at the centre for various ailments, showing that even top players are affected.

Historically, soft tissue injuries surged heavily during 2021 and 2022 as players returned from COVID-19 lockdowns and struggled to regain fitness. The precursor to the COE, the National Cricket Academy (NCA), faced criticism in 2017 and 2018 for inadequate injury management, leading to overhauls in fitness practices under Shankar Basu. Following that period, India became one of the fittest cricket teams. However, the recent uptick in injuries poses threats to player availability, particularly with a World Cup approaching within a year. The COE must efficiently manage these injuries to preserve India's competitiveness on the world stage.

Injuries to key players like Shubman Gill and Gautam Gambhir further complicate series planning and team selection, underlining the urgency for the COE to respond effectively. The increased funding aims to enhance medical and rehabilitation support, but the challenge remains significant as the cricket calendar intensifies. The coming months will be critical to restoring player fitness and ensuring the Indian cricket team's success in upcoming tournaments.

1. The Centre of Excellence has treated 68 players over 20 months, highlighting a serious injury problem affecting Indian cricket.

2. The majority of injuries are soft tissue related, including muscle tears and hamstring injuries, with only a few impact injuries reported.

3. Increased BCCI funding from 92 crore to 127 crore aims to improve rehabilitation and injury management before major tournaments.