The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to make an important change in its policy regarding players’ fitness and selection. This decision has come at a time when, in recent months, the board’s medical and fitness system has faced criticism over the issue of including injured players in the national team without them being fully fit.
While announcing the Indian squad for the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan, the board placed a special mark next to the names of Jasprit Bumrah, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar and Harshit Raina. This meant that the inclusion of these players in the team was subject to them passing their fitness tests.
According to a private news channel, the BCCI now wants to make a more cautious decision regarding a player’s fitness before including him in the squad. The report, quoting an informed source, said that the board now wants to be not just 100 per cent but 200 per cent certain before relying on a player’s availability, so that the player does not later have to be ruled out of the team due to a fitness issue.
In recent times, several Indian team players have been out of the team due to fitness-related issues. Harshit Raina, Jasprit Bumrah, Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar Reddy were among the players who were given places in the squad for international duties, but later could not remain part of the team because of their injuries or lack of complete fitness.
Following these incidents, questions were also raised about the way the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence dealt with players’ injuries.
The head of the Centre of Excellence and former Indian cricketer VVS Laxman had explained the board’s position on the matter, saying that efforts were being made to maintain transparency regarding fitness information and the selection process.
According to him, the players themselves also know that they are not yet completely ready to play in the national series, and in their cases, the interests of both the player and the team are taken into consideration.
Laxman said that when a player who is not completely fit at that time is selected, it is clearly stated along with the selection that the player will have to pass the fitness test. In such a situation, the selectors also know which player can be included in the team if the concerned player fails the fitness test.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia had also explained this procedure, saying that squads for international series are often selected three to four weeks in advance. During this period, a player’s fitness can improve, which is why he can be conditionally included in the squad despite not being completely fit at the time of selection.
According to him, if a player is not fit at the time of selection, it does not mean that he will necessarily remain unfit for the next 21 or 28 days. If he becomes completely fit before travelling or before the match, he can be included in the team.
For this reason, the BCCI is making the selection of such players conditional on fitness rather than completely removing their names.
Regarding the series against Afghanistan, there are currently positive indications about the fitness of Bumrah and Nitish Kumar Reddy, and both are expected to become fully fit before the first T20I in Delhi on September 13. However, the situation regarding Harshit Raina and Washington Sundar is still not completely clear.
According to the report, the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence does not want to take any kind of risk in the cases of these two players.
The apparent objective of the new policy is that instead of declaring a player fit prematurely, a more cautious decision should be made regarding his availability, so that the team faces as few last-minute changes and uncertainties as possible.