The Board of Control for Cricket in India is recruiting a Head of Sports Science and Medicine at the Bengaluru Centre of Excellence following ongoing player rehabilitation failures.
This vacancy highlights structural shortcomings in long-term workload oversight. The successful applicant will report directly to VVS Laxman, taking charge of clinical governance guidelines to minimise injury recurrences across national frameworks.
The incoming executive must align medical clearances following successive high-profile fitness collapses involving fast bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Harshit Rana. A rectus femoris strain recently ruled Rana out of the Afghanistan T20I series.
Laxman Confirms Administrative Void
The Bengaluru complex has functioned without a permanent sports science leader since Nitin Patel departed last year. This absence created significant operational barriers between team physiotherapists and external rehabilitation staff.
Detailing the recruitment delays to the Hindustan Times, Laxman said: “After Nitin Patel’s exit, we didn’t get anyone. With Andrew Leipus, everything was agreed upon. But at the last minute, he backed off, citing family reasons. We then had a panel comprising Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala, Dr Ashish Soni and me, which shortlisted five candidates,”
The appointee will manage physical development protocols and injury prevention strategies. This mandate is essential as selectors finalise India A squads for their home series against Australia. Current head Dr Kamlesh Jain will step down when his contract terminates.
