Fresh concerns have emerged within Indian cricket, with reports suggesting a growing disconnect between the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee and the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru. The two departments, responsible for player selection and fitness management respectively, are reportedly not on the same page regarding the availability of key players.

According to a PTI report, the issue has come under the spotlight following Jasprit Bumrah’s withdrawal from the upcoming two-match Test series against Sri Lanka. The CoE had reportedly informed the selection panel that the star fast bowler would be fit to travel for the series. However, Bumrah’s knee injury turned out to be more serious than initially assessed, forcing the BCCI to rule him out and name Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi as his replacement.

The report further stated that senior BCCI officials, including Centre of Excellence chief VVS Laxman and chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar, held a virtual meeting on Monday to discuss the injury management of centrally contracted players and review the current rehabilitation process.

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Several players have reportedly become a cause for concern due to recurring fitness issues. While it remains unclear whether specific names were discussed during the meeting, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar, and Nitish Kumar Reddy were highlighted in the report as players currently dealing with injury setbacks.

The report also claimed that a well-known Indian T20 specialist batter from a southern state arrived in England carrying excess weight, raising further questions about player fitness monitoring within the system.

With multiple players sidelined in recent months, concerns are reportedly growing within the BCCI over rehabilitation timelines and whether the prescribed ‘Return to Play’ protocols are being followed consistently before players return to competitive cricket.

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The Centre of Excellence has been functioning without a permanent sports director since Nitin Patel’s departure, with Dhananjay Kaushik currently serving in an interim role. According to the report, the CoE’s functioning is expected to come under close scrutiny during the BCCI’s upcoming review meeting following India’s disappointing tour of the United Kingdom, where injury concerns once again became a major talking point.