The BCCI is preparing to reshape India’s future international schedules by creating more recovery and preparation time for players, while reviewing injury-management procedures at its Centre of Excellence (CoE) as the board looks to reduce fitness setbacks ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup.
The plans emerged from a BCCI review meeting attended by India Test and ODI Captain Shubman Gill, T20I Captain Shreyas Iyer, Head Coach Gautam Gambhir, CoE Director of Cricket VVS Laxman and board officials. BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia told reporters after the meeting: “The only challenge which we are facing is that there are too many matches in the year and that is why in the next FTP we will do certain things, we will take certain measures.”
BCCI targets more recovery time in future schedules
India’s congested calendar has increased the board’s focus on how tours are arranged, particularly when players move between the IPL and international assignments with limited recovery and preparation periods.
Saikia pointed to the recent England tour as an example of the physical demands involved, noting: “Players are having injuries because they have to play a lot of matches. If you look at their schedule, in England, we had a 15-player team that went for the ODIs, and out of that, 3 or 4 players got injured. We have to take into consideration that they have played two months of IPL prior to that. So all this takes a toll on the health of the players.”
The next FTP cycle is set to reflect those concerns, with the BCCI seeking schedules that provide players with sufficient recovery periods and better preparation before demanding overseas assignments.
Saikia added: “To avoid those kinds of situations under the present FTPs, we are trying to find some ways out. We have a protocol in place for how a player can come back to international matches after injury. We are taking feedback from the captains and head coach to chalk up a proper strategy to avoid these unwanted situations. In the next FTP, we will ensure proper rest for the players, acclimatisation, or some practice matches before any major series in SENA countries.”
The approach would place greater emphasis on the build-up to major series in South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia, rather than having India arrive with limited time to adjust before competitive matches begin.
CoE protocols reviewed amid injury concerns
The review also covered the process injured players must complete before returning to international duty. A number of Indian players have spent time undergoing rehabilitation at the CoE, while recent injury problems have brought greater scrutiny to how players are assessed before being cleared.
Saikia explained: “We have a protocol in place for players to return to international cricket after an injury. When a player is injured, they can either work with their own physio or undergo rehab at the Centre of Excellence.”
Players who choose either rehabilitation route must still satisfy the BCCI’s requirements before returning to the national team. The procedures themselves were examined during the review meeting as the board considered how to reduce the chances of players suffering further fitness setbacks.
He continued: “Before being cleared to join the Indian team, they have to meet certain criteria and cross several hurdles. We revisited these protocols today and discussed the best ways to ensure players return to international cricket fully fit and minimise the risk of further injuries.”
Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah and Harshit Rana were all named in India’s squad for the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan subject to fitness. Hardik Pandya, Akash Deep and Sai Sudharsan have also been undergoing rehabilitation following injuries.
BCCI rejects communication concerns
Alongside the workload and rehabilitation discussions, the BCCI maintained that its different departments and the national team structure are working together on player management.
Saikia stated: “Everybody is on the same page. BCCI is working in a very well like a well oiled engine.”
He further outlined the interaction between the board’s teams, technical personnel, coaches and the CoE, adding: “There is proper coordination amongst all the wings of BCCI, whether it is women’s teams committees or their technical staff or their coaches, vis-a-vis the COE, vis-a-vis the Indian men’s team’s coaching staff and the head coach. There is no difficulty in the coordination, everything is moving in the right direction.”
The BCCI is also continuing its search for a new Head of Sports Science following the end of Nitin Patel’s contract last year. Laxman has indicated that candidates previously came close to taking the position before withdrawing late in the process.
SENA preparation forms part of broader scheduling rethink
How India prepares for major overseas series is another part of the board’s planning for the next FTP. Officials responsible for the programme are expected to raise scheduling requirements in upcoming international discussions as the BCCI seeks more space around important assignments.
Saikia noted: “We have instructed our FTP persons who will be meeting very soon in various international forums that our FTP should be in such a way it should be scheduled that there is proper rest for the players as well as some kind of acclimatisation or some kind of friendly matches before any major series in SENA countries (South Africa, Australia, England and New Zealand).”
The scheduling work is also being undertaken with India’s longer-term white-ball plans in mind. The 2027 ODI World Cup will be staged in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, placing additional importance on how India manages its players and preparation over the coming year.
The board used the review meeting to assess recent results and map out that period. Saikia said: “We discussed (about) how our team performed in England and Ireland and also we are thinking about what we are going to do about the next one year. The road map has been prepared and we will be doing some exercises so that we have a very good performance in 2027 World Cup.”
The BCCI’s next steps will now extend across both scheduling and player management, with the next FTP providing the opportunity to incorporate additional rest and preparation time while the existing return-to-play procedures continue to govern how injured players rejoin the national team.
