Injured players will now need fitness clearance from NCA: Reports

Any injured cricketer will now be mandatorily monitored by the National Cricket Academy (NCA) physios in Bengaluru during the rehabilitation process. It will be the NCA that will decide whether the players are fit for selection.

According to a report in The Indian Express, the NCA expressed dissatisfaction after a particular player began his rehab with his IPL physio and came to the NCA in Bengaluru just to clear his fitness test.

The report added that the decision to make the NCA the ‘final authority’ on the fitness of players was taken after a meeting between some prominent names in Indian cricket.

NCA’s Head of Cricket Rahul Dravid, BCCI secretary Jay Shah, Team India head coach Ravi Shastri and captain Virat Kohli were part of the discussion.

The report further informed contracted players have been told clearly that, after their injury heals, the players will have to pay a visit to the NCA. While at the academy, a physio will monitor their progress on a daily basis.

---

Players must seek permission from BCCI and NCA to train with personal physios

In the event of cricketers being unable to come to the NCA due to the pandemic and wanting to train with their personal physios, they need to seek permission from the BCCI and the NCA. A BCCI official was quoted as telling The Indian Express:

“The players have been told that whenever they get injured, they need to inform the NCA. Once their injury has healed, the rehabilitation part will be taken care of by their physios in Bengaluru. It will also help prepare a database that will help the BCCI in the future.”

Earlier too, the NCA had informed the BCCI about not being kept in the loop as to how player rehab was conducted.

Shubman Gill, who flew back from England owing to a shin injury, and Shreyas Iyer are presently at the NCA. While Iyer has cleared his fitness test, Gill has begun his rehabilitation process.

Team India have been hampered by injuries in recent series’. Apart from Gill, the likes of Washington Sundar and Avesh Khan were also ruled out of the England Tests.

Earlier, in Australia, India suffered multiple injury issues and went into the final Test at the Gabba with a number of their fringe players.