BCCI's search for SSM head stalls after multiple withdrawals

The BCCI Centre of Excellence has faced multiple challenges and setbacks while trying to secure its next Head of Sports Science and Medicine.

At a media interaction organised at the centre, VVS Laxman, the CoE head, explained how candidates, one after another, came close to replacing Nitin Patel, the previous head of SSM who left the position in March 2025.

The closest candidate was notably Andrew Leipus, who worked as the Indian men’s team’s physio between 1999 and 2005, and then at the National Cricket Academy between 2015 and 2017.

“Unfortunately, after Nitin left as the head of Sports Science, we didn’t get anyone to fill in those shoes,” Laxman admitted. “We had Andrew Leipus: everything was agreed upon, Devajit (Saikia, BCCI secretary) had two-three meetings, and at the last-minute, Andrew backed off citing family reasons”.

Leipus had also been part of the interview process when Nitin was selected in 2022, which Laxman says is the reason BCCI reached out to Leipus as soon as they got to know about his exit.

With Leipus out of contention, Laxman, as part of a panel of experts, kickstarted another process that shortlisted five candidates.

“Out of (five), the No.1 candidate was Australian. I don’t want to name him, but after being selected, he suddenly backed out saying he can’t move to Bengaluru.

“The second and third candidates are already working at the COE,” Laxman later added. “Now, it is our responsibility to upskill them, while looking to identify someone of that stature and experience and knowledge”.

Laxman stressed that one of the key conditions for the role was that it’s a full-time job, not consulting or part-time, which requires the person to be in Bengaluru, under the purview of Laxman for “day-to-day monitoring”.

As the search continued, BCCI then came close to securing another candidate, the head of Sports Science of All Blacks (New Zealand rugby team).

“He almost agreed and at the last moment, backed out (too)”.

Laxman, meanwhile, praised the rest of the sports science team for “stepping up” in the absence of a head.

He explained that there’s been a big vacuum between the international and state level, because of which the CoE insisted on having a head of sports science for each association, with the expectation to “standardise all fitness protocols and guidelines and execute them throughout the year”.

“So that player should at domestic or state level should not feel that there’s a big difference when he comes to the targeted group or the Indian team”.

However, finding suitable candidates has been an onerous task at that level too.

“Unfortunately, through the interview process, could only identify seven quality professionals”.

In the current setup, each zonal SSM head takes care of five associations, going to every state throughout the year and interacting with local SSM staff to ensure the gap between the state and the international level reduces.

As for certain cases that are too complex to be handled at the state level, the zonal SSM relays them to the CoE rehab team, who then take the player under their wing.

Laxman insisted that only stature or experience isn’t enough to fill the position; the candidate should also have knowledge and understanding of Indian cricketers.

“The lookout is still there, but you have to find someone who is qualified and capable enough to take up that position. We will quite definitely fill that position, and the suitable candidate has to be identified.

Saikia added that the current technical team is of a certain standard, but the person heading them must be much better.

“There are very limited persons, not only in India but across the world. Therefore, we are facing some problems despite repeated processes being done. We are not getting the right candidate. Because of acute shortage, I should say, we are not getting the person.

“But the process is on to find the right candidate”.