The Indian cricket team is currently grappling with a rising number of player injuries. At present, more than two dozen cricketers are undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI Center of Excellence in Bengaluru. The growing injury toll raised questions regarding the functioning of the National Cricket Academy, prompting NCA head VVS Laxman to address a joint press conference alongside BCCI secretary Devjit Saikia. Prior to the briefing, Laxman also held a virtual meeting with chief selector Ajit Agarkar.
During the press conference, VVS Laxman clarified that injuries are an inevitable part of a player career and emphasized that the Center of Excellence is not merely a rehabilitation facility. He shed light on several matters that had previously remained out of the public eye. In the course of the interaction, he brought up a specific name that has since generated significant discussion in cricket circles: Nitin Patel.
Nitin Patel is a former chief physiotherapist of the Indian cricket team who has served Indian cricket for a long duration. He managed the fitness of players during an era when legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag were advancing in age and nearing the twilight of their careers. He played a pivotal role in player fitness and injury management. Patel first served as the team chief physio from 2007 to 2011, during which he worked behind the scenes to help India secure triumphs in both the T20 and ODI World Cups.
Patel returned for a second stint with the Indian team in 2019, expertly managing the fitness and workloads of stalwarts such as MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Shami. He was later appointed as the head of the Sports Science and Medical team at the National Cricket Academy under the BCCI. Ever since Patel departure, the BCCI has been operating without an official sports science head, a factor that prompted VVS Laxman to specifically reference him during the press conference.
