Recurring Injuries to premier Indian players like Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, and Harshit Rana have drawn significant scrutiny in recent weeks.
The BCCI's Centre of Excellence (CoE) has also found itself under the scanner, with players like Bumrah and Harshit picking up injuries shortly after returning to action.
Legendary India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar, however, has come out in defence of the CoE, suggesting instead that the issue may lie in the training methods being used to prepare players. Gavaskar stressed the importance of being "match-fit" rather than merely "gym-fit."
"While Bumrah has a knee injury, it is seen that most Indian players suffer from hamstring injuries. Clearly, there's something wrong with their training, and that's why these recurring hamstring injuries," Gavaskar wrote, in a column on Mid-Day.
"These injuries happen when they are playing for India, but unfortunately, the blame is put on the physios at the BCCI centre of excellence," he stated.
Gavaskar went on to question the preparation methods players undergo before being declared fit to return to competitive cricket.
"The so-called biomechanics, where a bowler can bowl only so many deliveries in the practice nets, is a questionable practice."
"Even in the IPL, it is learnt that some of the overseas physios don't allow the bowlers to bowl more than 20 balls in the nets. If in the match you will be bowling 24 balls, that is, if you don't bowl no-balls and wides, then how is bowling a lesser number in the nets going to help?" he further wrote.
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"It's an issue that needs a good, hard look at why these injuries are happening again and again. It is more important to be match fit than gym fit. But then, maybe I am from a generation that had different ideas on fitness," Gavaskar added.
Repeated injuries to key players like Bumrah and Hardik have dented Team India's campaign in the race for the World Test Championship (WTC) 2027 final and also affected their preparations for the 2027 ICC ODI World Cup.
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