Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif has called for an urgent review of the medical setup at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru, arguing that the board’s inability to appoint a top-level medical professional is becoming a concern amid a growing injury list. India have been hit by several fitness setbacks ahead of their upcoming two-Test series against Sri Lanka.

Sai Sudharsan was the latest player to be ruled out after suffering a toe injury, joining Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar on the sidelines. The injury crisis has increased scrutiny on the CoE, where several Indian players have been undergoing rehabilitation. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia also visited Bengaluru to discuss the situation with CoE head VVS Laxman as the board looked for ways to address the recurring fitness issues.

Laxman recently revealed that the BCCI had approached several candidates for key roles at the CoE but faced setbacks during the appointment process. According to him, some potential candidates withdrew at the final stage.

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Kaif believes the situation needs to be resolved quickly, particularly given the importance of the CoE in managing India’s injured players and overseeing their return to competitive cricket.

“There was a statement from VVS Laxman that they had approached several people. Those things were being worked out, but at the last minute, they turned it down,” Mohammad Kaif said on his YouTube channel.

The former batter admitted that he was not a medical expert but stressed that the responsibility lies with the professionals appointed by the BCCI to ensure the system functions effectively.

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“Whatever is happening needs to be fixed. I am not an expert on this. The experts appointed by the BCCI need to do their job. But I am telling you that it’s having a significant impact,” Mohammad Kaif added.

Kaif also questioned why the BCCI has struggled to attract the right personnel despite its financial strength and global standing. With India facing a packed international calendar, resolving the concerns surrounding the CoE could become increasingly important.