09 August,2026 03:41 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
VVS Laxman (Pic: File Pic)
The Board of Control for Cricket in India's Centre of Excellence (CoE) head VVS Laxman feels that the facility has a bigger responsibility than rehabilitating injured players.
Speaking about the injuries, the former cricketer said that it is part and parcel of a player's career.
"CoE is not a rehab centre. There's a bigger responsibility and mandate given by the BCCI," he said while addressing a press conference in Bengaluru.
"Injuries are part and parcel of any player's career. That's why the monitoring system is very critical. And we don't use the term blame; then we will be trying to find scapegoats," added Laxman.
The incumbent secretary of the BCCI, Devajit Saikia, met Laxman to review the rehabilitation and injury management programme at the facility. The secretary also attended the press conference along with the BCCI president Mithun Manhas and other senior officials.
On the other hand, Team India is all set to lock horns with Sri Lanka in the two-match Test series. The first match is scheduled to be played from August 15 at the Galle International Cricket Stadium near Galle Fort.
Ahead of the first match, Indian batsman Sarfaraz Khan is likely to replace injured batsman Sai Sudharsan, according to a Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) source.
Sudharsan had sustained an injury, which could rule him out of the upcoming series.
"Sarfaraz Khan is likely to replace injured Sai Sudharsan in the upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka," a BCCI source said.
The Tamil Nadu-born cricketer has been undergoing rehabilitation at the Centre of Excellence (COE) in Bengaluru. The left-handed batsman also participated in the batting and fielding drills, but he is unlikely to make his appearance in the first Test match against Sri Lanka.
He also missed out on the ongoing three-day warm-up match against Sri Lanka Cricket XI, which is underway in Colombo.
Shubman Gill (C), KL Rahul (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant (WK), Sai Sudharsan', Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Devdutt Padikkal, Saransh Jain, Auqib Nabi.
(With ANI Inputs)
