BCCI secy Saikia to visit COE today, will meet Laxman over injury crisis

Concerned with the spate of injuries that has rocked the Indian team of late, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia will be meeting Head of Cricket VVS Laxman on Sunday to take a stock of the rehabilitation management programme at the Centre of Excellence (COE).

India will be missing the services of Jasprit Bumrah (knee swelling), B Sai Sudharsan (left foot big toe), Harshit Rana (hamstring), Nitish Kumar Reddy (hamstring) and Washington Sundar (quadriceps) due to various injuries. Akash Deep (lower back stress fracture) has been out for the longest time since Bengal’s Ranji Trophy semi-final defeat.

VVS Laxman

Adding to that, Hardik Pandya (quadriceps), Varun Chakravarthy (hamstring) and Prince Yadav (hamstring) are also at the Centre of Excellence where the Sports Science team is overworked without a figurehead since the resignation of Nitin Patel in early 2025.

Sudharsan and Bumrah were enlisted in the squad subject to fitness but the COE’s team of experts decided to exercise caution looking at the bigger picture.

“Yes, secretary Saikia will be in Bengaluru to take a stock of the situation along with VVS Laxman. There is a meeting scheduled between the two. It is not known whether head coach of national team Gautam Gambhir or chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar will join online or not,” a source told PTI.

India batter Jemimah Rodrigues has been ruled out of the ongoing Hundred after suffering a hamstring injury while playing for Southern Brave, putting her participation in the upcoming Women’s T20 Asia Cup in doubt.

Southern Brave confirmed on Saturday that Rodrigues has been replaced by Australian all-rounder Charlie Knott for the remainder of the tournament.

The 25-year-old has scored 143 runs in six innings for the Brave. The Women’s T20 Asia Cup begins on August 28, with India starting their campaign against Thailand on August 30.

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According to Brett Lee, 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi showcases outstanding cricket skills. Following a stellar IPL season, he was quickly called to join India's T20I team, where he shone in the Zimbabwe tour, being honored as Player of the Series. Lee underscores the need to safeguard the young prodigy from extreme pressure, stressing that his biggest hurdle will be maintaining mental fortitude as he progresses in his career.

Devdutt Padikkal assured his spot in India’s playing XI for the opening Test with a stylish century on Day Two of the warm-up match against Sri Lanka Cricket XI, while seasoned Rishabh Pant (2) and his understudy Dhruv Jurel (1) failed to make the most of favourable batting conditions.

India finished its first innings at 357-6 in 90 overs. Padikkal’s artistic unbeaten 142 and a gritty 63 (retired out) by veteran Ravindra Jadeja were the highlights, while Manav Suthar (41) also impressed with the bat on his maiden overseas international assignment.

Ravindra Jadeja celebrates after his half-century on Saturday

Padikkal hit 18 boundaries to show that he is ready to reclaim his rightful place now that first-choice No. 3 batter Sai Sudharsan has been ruled out of the series. With Yashasvi Jaiswal (0) falling off the second delivery, KL Rahul (40) and Padikkal added 96 for the second wicket.

While Rahul played himself in, the sinewy Padikkal was a treat to watch, opening with a couple of cover drives off fuller deliveries before unleashing some delectable cuts both in front of and behind point. Anything short from pacers or spinners was pulled with disdain. The famous ‘Nataraja Shot’ also came out of the closet against the pacers.

A pull shot off off-spinner Ramesh Mendis brought up his ton in just 121 balls before he was asked to retire. By then, he had added 72 with Jadeja, who again showed his value as a middle-order batter overseas.

The biggest disappointment of the day was certainly Pant, who once again played an indiscreet shot against off-spinner Mendis (2-77), trying to hit him over long-on against the turn. The leading edge flew to long-off. Towards the end, Padikkal once again came out to bat and added four more boundaries to his quota of 14.

18
No of fours smashed by Devdutt Padikkal against SLC XI on Saturday

65
Padikkal’s highest score, which came in his debut innings against England; the top-order batter has scored a total of 90 runs in two Tests

2024
The year Devdutt Padikkal played his last of two Tests

8
No of 50-plus scores by Jadeja in his last 13 Test innings